Atlas is definitely not at the top of the heap in terms of pay, benefits, or retirement. Better that Omni, but not by very much.
The scheduling is a matter of personal preference so that is maybe in neutral territory.
I think that the attraction for many pilots is the current success of the company. They have not only been profitable through the recession, they have actually grown. The number of aircraft, the addition of a new fleet type, the addition of pax ops, and the LCF are all huge accomplishments made over the past three years. And there is the addition of the -8's as well.
The other attraction is the potential for upgrades as the older pilot group departs and the fleet grows.
The last thing that Atlas has for many of us is a remarkably positive work environment. No airline is immune from problems, but the Atlas pilot group seems to be happier and more optimistic than most.
I'm sure some younger folks will leave for greener($) pastures as the higher paying airlines ramp up hiring (hopefully many of the guys senior to me will
), but all in all, it's definitely the best of the whole charter/cargo group except for brown and purple.
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