There's an open house on February 26th in Miami. Has anyone attended this event held by Atlas before? If so, what should I expect?

The advertisement stated that there's a possibility of being hired on the spot. What sort of flight hours and experience would trigger an immediate hire?

 

Expect rainbows, sunshine and unicorns. Do some homework on this place before you commit. Much better places are hiring.

 

I like what I do and who I work with. I also like most of the people in the union, including the folks that hate each other. Most of the instructors are top-notch and I even think most of our managers (director of training and standards, system chief pilot, safety, etc.) are decent. I like talking to my dispatchers. I like the mechanics. I like the loadmasters. I like all these guys, and I'm a total jerk! So a reasonable person like you would probably love most of these folks too.

The problems we face are systemic, not personal. Contract details can be found elsewhere and are discussed ad nauseam. Our training has improved by leaps and bounds, but we have some problem areas in which we may be regressing. By similar token, it seems like a lot of our dispatchers and mechanics are overtaxed. Compensation, retirement, benefits are all discussed in great detail elsewhere.

So I like the work. I like the people. I like the union. I even like the people that hate my guts; at least I know where they stand and what to expect from them. I like a lot of what I do. I don't punch the proverbial steering wheel on my way to work. It's actually pretty cool if you ignore all the awful stuff.

 

QOL at Atlas is horrible. Imagine working for an airline where almost every single line is built to minimum days off. That is Atlas. And if they don’t have enough flying to build a line to min days off? No problem they’ll simply tack on reserve days until it is! Meaning everyone from the most junior FO to the 20 year Captain has the same miserable QOL. Yes they would rather keep their thumb on you paying you to sit in a hotel room and do nothing in case they might need you rather than heaven forbid build a line with a couple of extra days off. Most of our business is scheduled and known well in advance and yet they still run the place like it’s a 500 pilot mom and pop ad hoc charter airline. No roster stability, “plug and play” scheduling that results in horribly fatiguing patterns that leave you exhausted at the end. Why would anyone, even a newly minted ATP, want to come here when just about every regional offers more days off and better QOL? Just to say you’ve been to Hong Kong? Trust me that novelty will wear off. When I see the banner ads on APC touting our destinations it reminds me of the that old Navy slogan “join the Navy and see the world”. That’s the big selling point because even the recruiters know Atlas has nothing else to offer.

 

This ^^^
Thank you.
121guy you sound like you’d probably be miserable at Delta.

 

The Atlas adventure! It's not just a job. It's $53 per diem.



https://youtu.be/jhioeOeOHsA

 

Oh look another guy who just loves to fly. Can’t wait to hear all about your Chinese girlfriend.

 

I don't think he means that. Nor do I. We're saying that if you're here, you have to find the positives to make it through the pattern in good spirits.

For prospective candidates, there's no good reason to come to Atlas. Other places advance your career faster, pay more, provide better benefits, etc. This is all well known and I don't have much to add which hasn't already been said. The simple facts are bad enough that commentary may make it seem like we're exaggerating the problems here. We're not.

Someone asked about the positives, so we mentioned them.

 

It IS a pretty cool job - IF you ignore all the awful stuff.

Problem is that people who want this job need to know that there is awful stuff and what this awful stuff really is.

Some of the folks that post sunshine comments about Atlas are like the guys that say the PB&J sandwiches aren't all that bad in prison. Sure, you can find a good nugget here and there, but overall you really wish you weren't here.

It is entirely possible to enjoy flying at Atlas and hate the way that you are treated. Those are two distinctly different things. Optimistic pilots come to work, are pleasant to fly with and do an outstandingly professional job operating the jet with their crew. Those same pilots, however, are compelled to fight for their contractual rights on a daily basis and for a better, safer contract as soon as possible.

Consequently, we post messages here in order to help aspiring pilots learn what the truth is about flying at Atlas. Obviously, this is a subjective assessment, but when you sift though all of the posts and all the rhetoric on APC, it doesn't take long to realize that Atlas management lies to potential new hires about the opportunities and benefits at Atlas while they ignore the hard facts that Atlas pays less than many regional jobs while treating you as nothing more than an asset to be worked 'till you drop while compensating you with as little as possible.

 

Haven’t you heard? It’s going to be $79 soon!