gringo

Well, two things to consider.

Management has worked hard to turn this once proud company into a revolving door operation. So attrition will be steady, meaning more than likely lots of interviews. (Senior) people are leaving all the time, which somehow I suppose keeps company costs down. But it means there will be a steady need to put warm butts in the seats.

The other thing to consider is that SA has pretty much bet the farm on their relationship with DHL. So, basically, the hiring will likely be somewhat steady until DHL "ASTARs" Southern Air. After that all bets are off.

Thedude

If you like stories that start with "This is how the company attempted to FK me yet again" then maybe this is the place for you.
When I first got to SA, I thought they were intentionally trying to FK me and they couldn't be that stupid just to let it happen.
Well, they are that stupid.


Gross meet incompetence.

9easy

Something that hasn't been mentioned is all the 744s are scheduled to leave by early 2015. Those crews will flow down to the 777 and the junior crews into the 737. There will basically be a fleet of ~12 frames. New hires could easily be furloughed.

Brand X

Reality check..... They are nothing more than a stepping stone.

Birdstrikes

That is true of any Supplemental, Regional, most Coporate gigs, etc if you are chasing "the perfect pilot career". It' pretty easy to argue that Atlas is half a steeping stone up, but these carriers are what they are. If you get hired with the expectations that they will be the next FedEx or Delta than you will be sadly mistaken. Set your expectations realistically and you might actually enjoy your time at a carrier like these before you leave for better opportunities.

Boris Badenov

Just curious and wanted to verify...the 747s are going away? Over on the quicktake it says 3 are on order...

gringo

Stick a fork in them, they're done.

Didn't you hear? Can't make money with a four engine airplane these days...

Brand X

Funny....... UPS is making bank with their 747s.

PotatoChip

From 3.5 months on the line I have plenty of stories... Like that time the company forgot to book our hotel rooms in ANC during solstice and put us up in a place with drug addicts and prostitutes in the lot (not exaggerating), or the time in SMF they booked us for the previous day and we spent the next 2 hours (after a 27hour duty day) trying to find accommodations, or the time in LAX when they booked for my room for the following day and wouldn't return any phone calls to fix it. I could go on. Happened at least 10 times in less than 4 months.

More stories? How about the CEO showing up in your ground school and telling you that by the end of the year you'll either be furloughed or upgraded, but probably furloughed. There was a lot of drunk ground school students that night.

Got more if you'd like.

Not calling myself an expert on the matter, but not spreading any false rumors either. I have never seen such unreal mishandling of day to day operations. I've actually had to remind them where in the world I was during a trip when I sat somewhere for 9 days without any clue what they were doing with me.

Good luck.

gringo

Exactly my point. As is Connie and Atlas...

Connie's even doing it with Classics! (Guess he didn't get the memo...)