Time for dbaker to face reality

[Captain Speaking]

Originally Posted by AirlineFanatic

This will also be my first trip with AirTran and also my first time on the 717 i'm looking forward to it. I'm more a fan of a larger aircraft but i'm excited about this one for some reason i always like rear mounted engine jets for some reason like the md80's and such.

Glad you'll be joining us.

Rear-mounted engines are great, as long as you are not seated in the aft row. I would suggest making sure you are not seated in row 31, if you are an enthusiast. Sit somewhere where you can see and hear what is going on, and row 31 ain't it.

[AirlineFanatic]

I'm seated in row 12 I'd rather be over the wing I like watching the flaps etc... Looking forward to the flight from PIT to FLL August 6th

[Picnic_ATL]

Unfortunately, his reality check bounced.......


I'm a former AirTran employee (ex-ATL ramp rat 6/99-5/00), and even though I left under bad circumstances over five years ago, I defend the airline because I still know people that work there; some of them date back to the dark days post-VJ582, and I know that if AirTran was truly an unsafe airline, the FAA would have already shut them down.

The reality is that airlines have incidents, some minor, some major. That's part of the reality in aviation, planes crash, people die, shit happens. Bashing AirTran for a crash nearly 10 years ago makes about as much sense as bashing United and American for the 9/11 Hijackings. Oh while we're at it, want to bash Northwest for the two Southern Airways crashes in the 1970s? Get over it morons, you've let yourselves be rooked into this bashing by a shadowy figurehead who has nothing better to do than bash AirTran. This is the only airline in these forums and this site that is the target of such bashing. Get over it, AirTran isn't going away, and other than in the minds of the bashers and supporters, Valujet doesn't exist anymore. Critter has been put out to pasture, never to return.

[Captain Speaking]

Picnic:

Thanks for summing it up so succinctly. . . .

You would probably be interested to know that the ramp operation has come a long way. Waiting on late bags, or waiting for a push or marshalling crew is the exception now, not the rule. . . . . and probably 95% of 717 the ATL departures push now, instead of powerback. You would still recognize some of the same faces on the ramp, though.

What are you doing these days?

[AirlineFanatic]

Captain Speaking what route do you fly with the 717? I'd like to get up in the cockpit and take a look at it when we arrive at the gate. Will the crew allow this as long as the aircraft is parked and at the gate? Did airtran get the new cockpit security doors after 9/11? This is my first flight since 9/11 happened and just makes me feel more secure knowing there is renforced doors you cannot penetrate.

Thanks

[717Doc]

The route depends on where they need the planes. We have installed new reinforced doors on all of our planes and you can request to look in the c/p and most of the time they will let you all depends on how much time they have between flights.

[AirlineFanatic]

Thanks for the reply 717doc. With the planes new renforced doors did they design a door like airbus where u have to punch in a code on a keypad then the crew can allow/deny access? Or did Airtran just add those stupid little weak bars with cotter pins? Thanks

[Captain Speaking]

Originally Posted by AirlineFanatic

Thanks for the reply 717doc. With the planes new renforced doors did they design a door like airbus where u have to punch in a code on a keypad then the crew can allow/deny access? Or did Airtran just add those stupid little weak bars with cotter pins? Thanks

Actually, we were one of the first, if not THE FIRST to install the updated doors, and since most of our aircraft have been delivered after 9/11/01, most of the doors were installed at the factory.

Security protocol prohibits me from describing their operation, but they are the top-of-the-line. Most pilots don't mind if you would like to come up and say "Hi" on the ground . . . . but it is not always possible when we have a "tight turn" or a crew change. Tell the Flight Attendant when you board that you would like to say "Hi" on the way out, and if it is possible, we'll be happy to accomodate you.

[AirlineFanatic]

Thanks captain speaking.

[Captain Speaking]

Originally Posted by AirlineFanatic

Thanks captain speaking.

Hey, you're very welcome. If you happen to be on one of our flights, by all means, come up and say "HI". Just let the F/A know first.

C.S.