WhipWhitaker

Want an honest assessment? Listening to this for 9 hours over the pacific is the most painful part of this job.

Mojouo

At the end of the day there are a lot of happy people at Atlas, myself included. It isn't for everyone though. Do your homework. This job fits some people's life like a glove and others like a hangman's noose. You're gone a lot more than you're home. If you, and more importantly your family, are ok with that....you'll likely consider this an awesome job.

CaptainHvac

I have presented several strategies directly to the EXCO over the years, one of which was used and nearly resulted in the firing of one of our pilots. The other strategies were deemed far too extreme, which I understood, but at the same time it's unfortunate. I won't hesitate to offer new ideas in the future and I support our EXCO specifically. I disagree that attrition is an effective strategy right now because it leaves the ball in their court to do whatever they need to mitigate it. Again, they could just re-alocate crew as contracts expire, or partially farm contracts out or cancel them, not seek business that would tax their Amazon/DHL operations too heavily, 767 staffing is fat leaving opportunities for efficiency gains partially negating this strategy, they are still mostly filling classes, etc... Its a closed end strategy for our side and that's what makes it weak because they have options to deal with it. They do not have immediate options to deal with parking jets. The execs seem to have thrown the keys out the window per se, so how do you deal with a group who doesn't seem to care either way? They will always get theirs...

KnotSee

Why is Atlas like a flight school for UPS? Seems like most of UPS' newhire classes are made up of 1/4 to 1/3 Atlas pilots.

KnotSee

What airlines do Atlas pilots consider their peers for the purpose of contract comparisons?

DC8DRIVER

Thank you for stepping up to the plate and trying to make a difference. There are too many pilots here that do nothing but complain. Trying and failing or even partially succeeding if far better than giving up and doing nothing.

Personally, I, too, am in favor of extreme strategies, and there may still be a time for them in the future ...

As I pointed out, the attrition thing is only a part of the union's strategy. There are several other irons in the fire some of which I think most folks know about and some of which none of us know about.

Flynn and his team are all about growth. It has been their strategy for the entire time that I have been here and it is working well for them. Due to our size, Atlas now has the economy of scale and the critical mass to survive in an industry that has crushed Evergreen, World, North American, ATA, etc. So, for them to give up on growth seems antithetical to their current strategy. Atlas is the 800 pound gorilla in the room and they are redefining the industry with their vast array of customers, their fleet, their Titan portfolio, and the whole CMI thing.

Of course, they may just sell some or all of Atlas to Amazon and retire to the country club for some much needed R&R.

DC8DRIVER

According to the pilot group, it's FedEx, UPS, Delta, American, and United.

Management will argue that Atlas is no FedEx, but when I am flying FedEx freight in a 747 from a FedEx hub to another FedEx hub using a FedEx call sign, it's pretty hard to say we do something less than what FedEx pilots do. And as the carrier of a significant part of DHL and Amazon freight, I'd say that Atlas pilots are on the leading edge of the primary competition to FedEx and UPS. Of course, not yet mentioned is the array of oddball military, specialized (Dreamlifter), and off the grid flying that we do into places you have to find with Google Earth!

According to Atlas management, it's Southern, Omni, and ATI.

KnotSee

Regional pilots have been saying basically the same thing for years, and yet, they don't get paid near what a major pilot does.

Friends at UPS tell me that they are hiring Atlas guys in droves, so it seems that those former Atlas pilots don't consider Atlas peers with UPS or they would have stayed for the new contract.

Hawkrider

Why would anyone with an offer on the table from UPS stay at Atlas with just the hope of a new contract being the deciding factor? That has nothing to do with whether they are peers or not.

Did you just compare Atlas to a regional? From where I sit on the outside, Atlas pilots should not only make what UPS/FedEx pilots make..... they should make more.

KnotSee

More? Why?

Not to sound arrogant, but Atlas is a contractor and hauls stuff for UPS and FedEx during the holidays. What you said is like saying that regional pilots should be paid more than legacy pilots because they fly harder trips.