Air Transport International closing doors?
 

First off, I fly a desk now and info travels slower when grounded. So if this is old news Im sorry.

Anyway

Several weeks ago Cargo Aircraft Mgmt throws an email to a cowoker about a couple of 767-200's. I think someone or maybe ATLAS would pick them up and get rid of those TWAY-P&W junkers. After some thought I figured those are probably ATI (all non-peg with cockpit mod). Just talked to someone asking of a job with over 10 yrs there. The poeple I knew overthere are LONG gone. He painted a gloom and doom picture. I thought GenHobson left the place pretty well set. Plus that old ICX cert was a bunch of O7's and higher creating thier own spook hauler back in the late 80s. ATI milked that pretty hard for a while..

I thought there were 4 aircraft a day doing flights into Afghanistan. Had an emailed picture of a 767 with bullet holes through the exhuast section of the engine, wheel well, center tank. No name on the pics but heard it was ATI. ( NO HazDty pay, thats old school frtdawg) What happenned to all the charter work. I thought one of those 8's was just going to be made into a longterm horse trailer.

Anyone have contact info for a Chief pilot initials JW pm me.

It's pretty much over here. Combi contract (4), DHL 757 domestic (4) and adhoc is all that's left. We'll be joining Evergreen soon.

Isn't the contract for only 3 with the 4th being a spare/floater.

That is correct

OP. The ATI that you are talking about ceased to exist a long time ago.

My opinion is that ATSG, the corporation that owns ATI and ATSG, does not have a reason to keep both airlines. It is true that ATI has some versatile OPSPECS , but ABX has similar capabilities. Both companies are located in the same building and working the same markets.

ATI management is mostly made up of former Capital Cargo managers. While there are a couple that are doing a pretty good job, the majority of them are buffoons. .

ATSG might want to keep ATI around for a few more months to use them as a negotiating foil against ABX pilot's union during upcoming contract negotiations, but even that seems unnecessary. The old timer pilots at ABX are already pooping in their depends and selling out the junior guys even before the negotiations open.

That's the current status. As for the future, or lack thereof, I don't know. I have heard speculation about merging ATI and ABX but I don't think that's in the cards. Why would ATSG want to transfer the CCIA/ATI recall pilot list over to ABX? It makes more sense to just jettison the whole CCIA/ATI list and then start over with new hires at ABX. Also, why risk contaminating ABX with the idea of home basing?

It shouldn't be difficult. ATI does not own any assets. The planes belong to CAM. It looks like they are already starting to gradually dismantle the former ATI. Some “formerly operated by ATI” 767s are already getting prepped to send to Europe to be operated by West Atlantic AB. I'm guessing more will be leaving the ATI livery soon. The ATI pilots union contract has weak scope protection. There is nothing to prevent the corporation from taking planes from ATI and assigning them to ABX.

Do the guys upstairs have a master plan? Who knows?

I think the first "casualty" of the 767s is 791AX. AFAIK, it was put into storage by ATSG and if ATI absolutely needs it, they have to go through ATSG. I'd assume it will be going back to ABX when needed; maybe somewhere else.

The next one to go will be either 316CM or 319CM. Unless ATI lands another long term contract (think DHLME), one of those -300s will be better suited elsewhere. My money is 319CM going to ABX (all of their -300s have steady work) but that is just pure speculation on my part.

Rumors are everywhere that Amerijet has a new long term contract in the works and might use ATI to fly it. While nice to think that way, I'd wager Amerijet just takes one of the IS&S 767s laying around and crew it themselves; especially if it is long term as is hinted at.

Who knows but I'll stick with my original thoughts from the other post.
3 757 Combis with the 4th doing whatever
2 757 Freighters as the Southern 737s arrive in CVG
2 767 Freighters (1 -200 and 1 -300) for the one off trips

All crewed to minimum levels

So what about the combi flying... Will ABX attempt to inherit that or is it going to disappear from under the ATSG banner?

I mentioned that in my post.

I believe ATI will be kept soley for the combi flying.

The DHL and charter stuff can go to ABX without much hassle. The combi stuff, on the other hand, will be very hard to transfer. ABX would need to get passenger op specs, the 757 added to their certificate, transfer all the 757 STCs, and jump through all the DOD hoops at a minimum.

NCR757dxr & blogwth have it pretty close about what will happen to ATI, maybe not exactly, but really close.