Originally Posted by
Excargodog
I ask that because the place seems to be a dumpster fire - at least if your only source of info is APC. Management is apparently suing the pilots, the pilots are alleging that the (too) few new hires they are getting are often too inexperienced to hack the type-ratings and those few that do are often taking their new type rating and immediately pulling the handles for anywhere else, while the ones who wash out in the attempt are now left with no job and a permanent stain on their record.
And seriously, $80 an hour to be an FO on a 747? With a 62 hour guarantee? That’s like what? Maybe $60K your first year? I mean, Republic pays their first year FOs better than that (counting the bonus). And yeah, I know, back in the day some of us walked to school (at least to the bus stop) uphill both ways, but that was then and this is now. You gotta live in the real world.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see why they might be having trouble competing here.
So is it REALLY that bad? And if it is, is survival of Atlas even possible? Because you can only get so far behind the power curve before a crash sort of becomes inevitable.
https://youtu.be/Q2qqKwndFW0
A few things that jump to mind here:
1) Atlas is done with their growing phase and I think management is comfortable on that side of the house as far as staffing airplanes goes. Remember that despite how awful things have deteriorated and much better job options being available, pilots are still applying. We even have quite a few current pilots helping their friends get hired. Misery loves company.
2) Southern Air is the newest concern for the company in regards to staffing as all the growth will be over there from here on out. Why anyone apply is beyond comprehension. But, they’re willing to pay for 2 time-building 737s to fly just for the sole purpose of giving spikey-haired millennials their ATPs. They are willing to throw money at the problem as long as none of it touches a pilot’s bank account. So, they’ll continue to eek by.
3) The overall culture will not considerably improve until we get a contract and with the way things are tied up in the court system that is years away. Even if the judges decide in the favor of the pilots with the arbitration hearings we then negotiate separate CBAs for the merger, which could take multiple years. If we lose, a CBA is not negotiated but shoved down our throats. So, it’s essentially a lose-lose on our end. (Yes, I said it)
4) Kalitta already makes nearly double what Atlas pilots make and their contract is amendable in less than a year. So, they’re likely to see an even better agreement before we even start negotiating the important sections of “contract 2016”. So, yes. Atlas is behind the power curve, but only from a pilot perspective. Management has us right where they want us.