Atlas Air Hiring
08-25-2017, 04:14 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: C47 PIC/747-400 SIC
Posts: 2,100
K4 is better than Atlas under the present CBA, less time away , more money, true home basing , no imputed income . Not hating on Giant , lots of amigos there , just stating facts , oh and the 767 pays the same as the 747.Cheers : )
08-25-2017, 04:24 AM
Banned
Joined APC: Jul 2017
Posts: 894
Originally Posted by 727C47
K4 is better than Atlas under the present CBA, less time away , more money, true home basing , no imputed income . Not hating on Giant , lots of amigos there , just stating facts , oh and the 767 pays the same as the 747.Cheers : )
08-25-2017, 04:39 AM
Banned
Joined APC: Jul 2017
Posts: 894
Originally Posted by RyeMex
In my humble opinion, stay. Upgrade. Flow. There's not much of a chance that much is going to change here at Atlas in the next 10 months, in terms of a new and better CBA.
Again, just my opinion.
Again, just my opinion.
08-25-2017, 06:02 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: C47 PIC/747-400 SIC
Posts: 2,100
Originally Posted by RyeMex
In my humble opinion, stay. Upgrade. Flow. There's not much of a chance that much is going to change here at Atlas in the next 10 months, in terms of a new and better CBA.
Again, just my opinion.
Again, just my opinion.
08-25-2017, 07:34 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 211
Originally Posted by Mojouo
Atlas in my opinion is all about perspective. Is it Delta, FedEx, UPS..? No. Of course not. Will it be one day? Maybe, but highly unlikely.
Atlas is however world's better than almost any part 135, most regionals, and almost any other long-haul carrier such as Omni, Western Global, Kalitta, ABX, ...
So in the end, if you're coming from an easy job that paid you a ton to do hardly anything, or you think this is UPS or Delta for some reason.....you probably won't enjoy it here. Now if you came from a crappy freight company that worked you like a dog for pennies....you'll likely love it here. Perspective.
Atlas is however world's better than almost any part 135, most regionals, and almost any other long-haul carrier such as Omni, Western Global, Kalitta, ABX, ...
So in the end, if you're coming from an easy job that paid you a ton to do hardly anything, or you think this is UPS or Delta for some reason.....you probably won't enjoy it here. Now if you came from a crappy freight company that worked you like a dog for pennies....you'll likely love it here. Perspective.
08-25-2017, 07:58 AM
On Reserve
Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by sandstorm
The thing is this pilot group is fighting for an industry standard, if not industry leading contract. For what we do, the places we go, the flexibility that we give the company, we absolutely deserve it. Just because someone is coming from a regional as an FO making $35 an hour, part 135, or one of the various other crappy freight companies, it doesn't make this a great place. Please don't try to justify the crap CBA and work rules we are currently working under by comparing us to flying an RJ, a citation, or working for one of the other lousy freight companies.
08-25-2017, 10:32 AM
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2015
Position: B744/748, in the bunk
Posts: 46
Originally Posted by Mojouo
Atlas in my opinion is all about perspective. Is it Delta, FedEx, UPS..? No. Of course not. Will it be one day? Maybe, but highly unlikely.
Atlas is however world's better than almost any part 135, most regionals, and almost any other long-haul carrier such as Omni, Western Global, Kalitta, ABX, ...
So in the end, if you're coming from an easy job that paid you a ton to do hardly anything, or you think this is UPS or Delta for some reason.....you probably won't enjoy it here. Now if you came from a crappy freight company that worked you like a dog for pennies....you'll likely love it here. Perspective.
Atlas is however world's better than almost any part 135, most regionals, and almost any other long-haul carrier such as Omni, Western Global, Kalitta, ABX, ...
So in the end, if you're coming from an easy job that paid you a ton to do hardly anything, or you think this is UPS or Delta for some reason.....you probably won't enjoy it here. Now if you came from a crappy freight company that worked you like a dog for pennies....you'll likely love it here. Perspective.
Is Atlas for the average pax airline pilot? Probably not.
The trips are typically 10-12+ days long. You owe the company 17 days of flying per month, I have not done a 17 days straight trip since November 2016. Tomorrow I begin a 15 day trip. And I will fly a couple days later in the month to reach a total of 17 days.
You have to be a bit adventurous. Not saying be a cowboy. Just willing to fly to places you cannot even pronounce. And willing to go practically ANYWHERE in the world. If anything, it is definitely an adventure!
To be honest, I am far less fatigued at Atlas than I was in the regionals. Even though I am often flying at all sorts of odd hours, and often on the other side of the world (HSV-HKG in a few days).
We don't parade through passenger terminals in a double-breasted suit and hat. IMHO, Atlas pilots are probably the most down to earth pilots I have ever flown with.
Despite things not always going according to plan and like clockwork, Atlas has a 97% on-time arrival rate.
This is my third contract negotiation. Same old story. Company stalls, union incites. We definitely deserve something much better than what we have for a CBA. But, I am much happier working here than the regionals. I will do my job per the contract, no more, no less. I pay my union dues to let the union take care of negotiating while I make a living to care for my family.
08-25-2017, 11:25 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: 747
Posts: 1,290
Originally Posted by Mojouo
I'm just saying it's a far cry from being "hell" here. No one will argue we need a much better CBA, and in time that will absolutely happen....it has to. In the meantime why do we continue to spread this negativity and fire everyone up about it? There are plenty of legitimately happy people at Atlas, all of whom are eagerly awaiting a new CBA, but whom also keep a positive attitude about things as we go through the process. Walk the line, file grievances, and abide by the current CBA. Negotiation periods always suck, and we are long overdue, but I refuse to come into work ****ed off everyday and spread negativity.......it does zero to get us a new CBA faster, it only brings everyone down.
Another reason that people express their displeasure here at Atlas is that the job we do is much more challenging than similar jobs at the "big five". I have a friend at Delta who was on the 747. He said they fly ONE type of 747 to 9 different cities. We fly 5 very different types of the 747 to 432 different cities. The profit per employee at Atlas is more than enough to compensate us at a wage that far surpasses the major airlines, yet some new pilots here have bought into the company propaganda that Atlas, because we aren't a household name, simply HAS to pay less than United, and the rest.
A final reason that pilots seem to bad mouth Atlas is that the more difficult it is for the company to hire enough pilots, the sooner they will come to the negotiating table and offer progress. It's that simple. The more people who arrive and convince their buddies that Atlas is just sooo cool that they should come here because you get to taxi a 747 around Hong Kong while you wait for your call from FedEx or American, the more time Atlas management will have to drag out negotiations. This saves Atlas millions and doesn't seem to matter to those pilots who use Atlas as a stepping stone in their career climb. The only people this enthusiasm seems to impact are the pilots who can't or won't move on to a better job.
I am not miserable at this job and I insist on having a pleasant time in the cockpit. But I would NEVER encourage another pilot to join the Atlas ranks until we get a new contract. It is a strategy that many people do not seem to understand.
8
08-25-2017, 12:57 PM
On Reserve
Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by DC8DRIVER
Well, one reason that people express their displeasure here at Atlas is that the company consistently violates the contract. I have found errors on both of my last two paychecks. Very few new hires seem to check for problems with their pay, their schedule, or other contractual violations. Part of that is because the contract was so poorly written that it is very, very difficult to interpret the many sections that are frequently abused. It happens often and it is a cultural attitude within Atlas mid-level management to cheat the pilots out of their benefits.
Another reason that people express their displeasure here at Atlas is that the job we do is much more challenging than similar jobs at the "big five". I have a friend at Delta who was on the 747. He said they fly ONE type of 747 to 9 different cities. We fly 5 very different types of the 747 to 432 different cities. The profit per employee at Atlas is more than enough to compensate us at a wage that far surpasses the major airlines, yet some new pilots here have bought into the company propaganda that Atlas, because we aren't a household name, simply HAS to pay less than United, and the rest.
A final reason that pilots seem to bad mouth Atlas is that the more difficult it is for the company to hire enough pilots, the sooner they will come to the negotiating table and offer progress. It's that simple. The more people who arrive and convince their buddies that Atlas is just sooo cool that they should come here because you get to taxi a 747 around Hong Kong while you wait for your call from FedEx or American, the more time Atlas management will have to drag out negotiations. This saves Atlas millions and doesn't seem to matter to those pilots who use Atlas as a stepping stone in their career climb. The only people this enthusiasm seems to impact are the pilots who can't or won't move on to a better job.
I am not miserable at this job and I insist on having a pleasant time in the cockpit. But I would NEVER encourage another pilot to join the Atlas ranks until we get a new contract. It is a strategy that many people do not seem to understand.
8
Another reason that people express their displeasure here at Atlas is that the job we do is much more challenging than similar jobs at the "big five". I have a friend at Delta who was on the 747. He said they fly ONE type of 747 to 9 different cities. We fly 5 very different types of the 747 to 432 different cities. The profit per employee at Atlas is more than enough to compensate us at a wage that far surpasses the major airlines, yet some new pilots here have bought into the company propaganda that Atlas, because we aren't a household name, simply HAS to pay less than United, and the rest.
A final reason that pilots seem to bad mouth Atlas is that the more difficult it is for the company to hire enough pilots, the sooner they will come to the negotiating table and offer progress. It's that simple. The more people who arrive and convince their buddies that Atlas is just sooo cool that they should come here because you get to taxi a 747 around Hong Kong while you wait for your call from FedEx or American, the more time Atlas management will have to drag out negotiations. This saves Atlas millions and doesn't seem to matter to those pilots who use Atlas as a stepping stone in their career climb. The only people this enthusiasm seems to impact are the pilots who can't or won't move on to a better job.
I am not miserable at this job and I insist on having a pleasant time in the cockpit. But I would NEVER encourage another pilot to join the Atlas ranks until we get a new contract. It is a strategy that many people do not seem to understand.
8
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