Funny the guys in this thread mentioning Omni in the same sentence as any Legacy airline. I was at Omni from 2010-2013, and left for Atlas. I distinctly recall the days of being paid $36,000/year (off first year pay!) to fly 767s, sitting in coach for 36 hour duty days, etc. I've seen how Omni really treats its employees when they have leverage, and I'll never regret my decision to leave.

I'm stoked the CBA is better these days, but the ACMI world will always be the ACMI world. Atlas is behind now, but 2 years ago it was still the cream of the crap. Once a CBA is inked, it'll probably go back to that level.

I'm actively working on getting out of Atlas as an 8th year 767 CA, and from speaking with colleagues who've moved on to the Big 6 from any of the ACMIs, the choice is very, very clear. Don't get stuck in ACMI if you have better options.

 

You seem to cherry pick the best from Kalitta and Omni, and take the worse from the ULCC. I'm a junior line holding CA and this is how it goes. I can drop my schedule to 0 with our initial OT. 4 days minimum off between work period (unless we choose to wave them). My schedule is usually a 4 day trip (most of the trips are commutable on both ends) and 5 off. Compare the pay rates to the minimum guarantee and a you will not find much of a difference (except the 1st year). 13% DC (and goes up 1% each year until 15%). I'll take the $30K that my company puts towards my 401K last year over hotel points any day. Basically what you just said was that at a ULCC, all trips are not commutable in some way or commuting to reserve, and that we only get 2-5 days after working. Maybe you should compare some important things like schedule flexibility, DC and so on. It's interesting how i flew with and ex Omni CA recently, and now he's a commuter at Spirit. Never once he mention how great the hotel point, airline miles or pay was. It was always how long he was gone from home and his horrible schedule.

 

exactky.

filler

 

Ask when he left. The new contact in mid 2018 changed things as much as your last contract changed yours.

 

have you looked at the rates and rules in the recent Kalitta and Omni CBA’s? I think not.
767 12 yr CA tops at $297ph
If you had stayed at Omni you’d be talking differently.
first year FO pay is $124ph as of April. A far cry from what you suffered. You’re making your opinion absent the current facts.

 

I don't have a horse in this race other than trying to help this dude figure out where he wants to be. Observations I'd add:

1) It may just be me and my luck, but I don't bank enough hotel points to be meaningful. Seems like most places I wind up are either off-brand or the points are negotiated away.
2) Airline miles, on the other hand...definitely enough of those to matter, and then some.
3) All other things being equal, yes, obviously I would rather have a decent retirement...I'm pretty sure that's high on the list for the next contract.
3) It is possible to bid in such a way that you are extremely unlikely to work your full 16, let alone get extended to 18 (at the moment, this could change). I'd say I'm averaging maybe 12. I think this is much less possible for CAs right now, but as an FO being lazy is not difficult.

 

In that case you should say how it really is at the ULCC or Legacies. Such as how we have great schedule flexibility, LTD, DC, (profit sharing for some companies) or not having to be gone 1-2 weeks at a time. Not just that that we all have to commute with non commutable trips or to reserve, while only being home 2-5 days at a time as the big picture.

 

Yes, I've seen them. It's just rates. 64 hour MMG, no rig. No significant retirement, no significant increase in QOL or work rules. It's the same as every other ACMI carrier, and something we're fighting hard to stop from happening at Atlas. It's not an impressive CBA.

Had I stayed at Omni, I'd be a topped out captain at an airline that hasn't grown appreciably in years, and doesn't appear to want to. It's run by the same folks I worked for, who only signed pay increases because they were forced to. Ask any of the old-timers there about the time a 767 captain's wife had a stroke while he was in SNN, and Omni forced him to buy his own ticket home. It wasn't that long ago.

I'll say it again: Don't get stuck in ACMI.

 

That seems like a moot point considering the min guarantee is probably the lowest in the industry. I don't think you can credit 90 and still have 15-18 days off like you can at B6 and NK. The retirement is also less than 1/3 that of most ULCC.

 

Yeah the min guarantee is crap. Having said that, I've been doing the K4 thing for a couple years and I've never come in at min guarantee (because I always bid reserve....welcome to the upside-down) In fact, I've credited less than 80 hours exactly twice. But....if you bid a line worth min guarantee.....and they keep you on that line....yeah, min guarantee (plus a few hours for the ride to and from work). I'm hopeful that will be addressed as the negotiators work on the new CBA....but I seriously doubt we'd ever see anything like the UPS 81 hr guarantee. I make it home a day or two early pretty often as well. I was supposed to work 9 days this month and went home day 6 (vacation month). Can't count on that though....

I mean....if you're comfortable at an LCC with a decent commute....you're not going to come here. But the reciprocal is true for a large percentage of folks on the list here right now. Having tasted commuting and now this gig....I turned down a job at a big east coast LCC due to the commute. People's outlook on ACMI flying differs significantly depending on what shop you came from. I worked for another ACMI previous to this.....and the difference is night and day. People here love to throw stones at other folks' career choices. You just gotta do what makes you happy.

But...if the guy is asking ACMI or LCC....as of this day I'd have to advise LCC. 16% DC says it all. Ask me again in a year.