Positive space from home to base?
 

Are there any cargo outfits that provide PS back and forth for assignment? I currently live in MSP. Not sure if that matters or not.

And for someone currently in the 121 world, are there cargo carriers "better" than another? Is one more stable than another? I'm relatively new and definitely trying to learn about the good and bad about cargo operations.

Everts Air Cargo offers home basing for their MD-80 pilots.

ATI is also a Home Based airline.

Operating 767 freighters domestically and internationally. 757 Combi internationally and 757 freighters domestically.

Home Basing means Company pays for your travel to and from your assignments and your lodgings away from home.

Does Atlas and Kalitta operate the same way?

Atlas buys you a ticket to and from the airplane as long as you live in the US.

Can anyone expand on the DH cabin upgrade conditions at ATI?

I hear Atlas is first/business class anytime you overfly water or flights > 2 hrs. Is ATI the same?

Can you keep hotel and air miles? And where do you normally meet airplanes or is it unpredictable?

Sorry for the shotgun approach but I haven't been able to find answers to these questions in the ATI threads.

Kalitta Air positive spaces you from your nearest home airport to where they need you. Since you never fly out of your base (YIP), you never pay imputed income on your flights or your hotel. Currently you get only the cheapest coach seat available, however. Even if it means multiple legs. Still, no non-rev commuting is very nice.

From MSP, you will usually fly to CVG via ORD on United or American.

ATI travels in coach class. Company-wide policy (all employees, but flight crew do the vast majority of commercialing around, so "they" just don't know what it's like to spend 30 hours +/- in the hardtack and swill seats, airport gate areas, etc, etc) is lowest available non-refundable fare. Pretty slick, eh? For now, anyway...

We do keep miles and hotel points, although many of the domestic hotel rates are negotiated to not get points (although you do get "credit" for the stay towards any status). Some of the international partner airlines don't give full mileage at the fare classes ATI purchases.

With airline status comes domestic and occasional international upgrades, at least into "comfort" seat zones, if not a truly comfy seat. So for the most part, we try to keep bookings limited to one or two systems, whatever works best for you at your home airport, which does have some service requirements (3 carriers, 50 seat aircraft...), and the Company does a reasonable job of keeping you on your desired airlines.

We do get airline lounge access for airport layovers of 5+ hours, if your status doesn't do it already.

Atlas is biz or better when there's an international segment. Or for DH when the duty day is 16+ hours. Home to base is coach only, and you can get taxed on the price of the ticket.

Thanks. I must say the idea of "middle seating" it from western CONUS to some location in Europe/Africa/Asia seems pretty undesirable.

I guess the upside is you never really have to worry about making your commute on your day off. Having that extra night or two at home every period would be nice.