Atlas or Frontier?
 

I know it's apples to oranges but I'm looking for insight from anyone who possibly has worked at both or any other insight into a decision like this. I have prospects at both of these airlines for classes in the near future.

-I would be commuting either way, I don't live in an F9 or Atlas base.
-No young kids or commitments that would prevent the longer schedules at Atlas.
-I like life outside of work so the F9 scheduling flexibility entices me.
-I like the idea of flying heavies around the world for the experiences but also not sure if I would enjoy it long term or 10 years down the line. Just haven't experienced it for myself but have heard a lot of different feelings. Some love it, some hate it after two to three years.
-F9 seniority prospects with the aircraft deliveries is good.
-Atlas is supposedly nearing a new contract and might pay more?

Thoughts?

You should pick the company and gain seniority at the operation where you want to be for the rest of your life. When the NEXT downturn comes, you'll be glad you made your move early. You saw how fast things slammed closed during COVID. This time we were all lucky the recovery seems to be coming relatively fast.

That wasn't the case after Sept 11th. The 2000s are still referred to as the Lost Decade. If you're young enough it's conceivable you might experience another downturn just as severe in the future.

You want to have your chair BEFORE the music stops.
Good luck.

Frontier and don't look back

/thread

Atlas all the way. You get to fly big jets and say Giant on the radio!

Posted this on the Frontier forum but I’ll quote myself here. Apologies for typos, typing this on my phone and not going to go over this essay after to correct it all :)

I have never heard of anyone going from Frontier to ACMI other than this one guy I guess on page 2 on the Frontier forum. What he fails to mention though is he left frontier on a bankruptcy contract. I had several acmi guys in my new hire class a few years ago.

Well let’s see. If you join now let’s take a look at 11 years from now on our current contracts.

year 12 747 FO Atlas 164/ Hr
Frontier FO A320 170 hr first 82. 212/hr after.

Atlas 747 Capt. 234 / hr.
Frontier A320 Capt. 270 / hr first 82 hours. 337 /hr after.

Atlas pilot 62 hour guarantee.
Frontier pilot 75 hour guarantee.

Atlas pilot 50% match to 10%.
Frontier Pilot 15% DC of gross pay regardless what she or he puts in.

16 vacation days for me got me the whole month off for 80hrs credit. Not to mention depending obviously on staffing the option to easily change your schedule into what you like and not work your award.

For me it wouldn’t even be a serious question. Now this being said you don’t know what the new contract will
look over at Atlas. God knows all awesome guys and girls over there more than deserve a fair contract over there and hopefully will get it soon. In which case it would be a more interesting comparison.

For me the much easier flying very good work rules, time at home and money makes it a no brainer for now. That said always follow your gut and hope it works out.

My perspective as someone who worked at neither of these airlines, but knows a few at both. Everyone I know at Frontier considers it a career destination, not a top tier destination, but an excellent place to land. Atlas is only considered a career destination by folks who landed there in hard times, when no one else was hiring, and who are unwilling to go back to the right seat. It is a great place to go if you already have lots of turbine PIC and want to land at UPS/FEDEX. I would take the first class date if I were in your shoes, but I probably would go Frontier. You can always apply elsewhere if you don’t like it. Atlas will always be hiring due to their subpar contract and crappy management team.

Do you enjoy being able to vote on pilot contracts? If so consider that it’s been almost 20 years since Atlas pilots were allowed to do so - and management has no intention of breaking that streak. You could potentially go your whole career at Atlas and NEVER be allowed to vote on a CBA.

Frontier's retirement goes to a 15% DC in 2022. That's a massive amount of money.

The direct contribution into a 401k is huge. Max out your own funds into a Roth and could have a decent nest egg.
Would not consider Atlas until at least the arbitrator ruling comes out. They are sub-par at the moment and the labor management relationship is a horror show.

If you have CJOs for both, I would go Frontier until seeing the Arbitration results.