Originally Posted by
Brokenwind
Anyone given any credence to the idea that Atlas may flush the SA pilots prior to merger?
Atlas hiring, albeit a pig in a poke, is none-the-less pretty detailed in scrutiny and the SA pilot group has not been vetted by Atlas.
Not to be the devils advocate but what could prevent Atlas from avoiding liability and deleting the SA pilots from the equation?
Hence the hiring spree, which is justified enough on it's own, regardless of the SA acquisition.
Just an idle thought...
IMHO.
NO. No chance of any sort of flush.
The word from those who have heard Atlas upper management speak to certain pilot groups is that there
will be a merger of the pilot groups (and NO no stapling!).
Atlas has had a pilot shortage for over a year now (this month alone we had many, many, many open trips, some for multiple crew members), and any expansion will have to be after these trips are covered, and the attrition and retirement numbers are covered. If the previous post is correct, (and you can debate what "droves" is) that means a minimum of 120 pilots a year are departing Atlas one way or the other. Add to that figure the 4 additional aircraft we added last year and you can begin to understand the dilemma that our scheduling department faces on a daily basis.
In addition, there are numerous rumors (some actually substantiated) that Atlas has turned away some big contracts that would have involved adding either ACMI or CMI airframes (the list of rumored carriers is long and colorful).
Since Atlas cannot even cover the flying that we currently have (not to mention potential future contracts), excluding the Southern pilots from joining Atlas is a ridiculous statement. There would be no benefit to doing that from any viewpoint. Only downsides.
Atlas upper level management has a laser focus on growth and, since I was hired in 2011, their plan has allowed this airline grow from 34 747's (including 8 "classics) to 58 74's and 76's (no classics, but 10 new -8's) (NOT counting the Titan planes that aren't crewed by us). Add to that the 10 Southern airplanes and you start to get the picture. The fleet doubled in 5 years.
Atlas has begun to realize the benefits of it's economy of scale staffing all of our non flying positions based on the earnings of 58 airplanes (68 with Southern) versus 13 for Kalitta, 4 for National, 8 for Skylease, and 11 for Omni. Atlas is now the 800 pound gorilla in this market.
Setting aside all of that sunshine, our contract is STILL pitiful and pilots are leaving in "droves". Many are 767 captains who have 6+ years invested here. Hopefully THAT should tell you something.
So stop already with the alarmist posts about the Southern pilots who are NOT getting flushed or stapled. We are both in the same union and the same local of that union. Atlas management seems to be looking far beyond this acquisition.
That said, this 800 pound gorilla had better come up with a lot more bananas for the apes in this troupe or it won't be finding very many vines to swing from.
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