UAL pilot here. Our CEO says we will hire 8000 pilots over next 4 years. Seniority is everything. No disrespect to Atlas pilots, will they even be in business in 32 years? UAL has 500 NB’s on order and about to make a WB order of more WB’s than AA is presently flying. They say UAL size wise in 5 years will be like adding Lufthansa and Air Canada to the current United.

To add on to my last post. I’ve flown the 737 for 8 years, hated it. Flown the 757/767 for 13 years -fantastic airplane and flying out of EWR. Been on the 777 for 2 1/2 years best airplane and flying hands down.

Just to touch on the "will they even be in business in 32 years" comment, Atlas has been a much more stable employer over the past 20 years than United/CAL. So chances are yes, they will be, and if history repeats itself, it will be a more secure employer than UA or any other legacy.

While anything is possible in this industry I respectfully disagree. Seen somewhat stabile and good pilot pay freight pilot jobs disappear over my career. Emery Worldwide, Airborne Express (yes I know still in business but nothing like what it was at its hayday) to just name a few off the top of my head and others just disappear.

Odds much better that a new hire with 32 years will have a much better and more stable career with United vs Atlas. That being said if there is a worldwide severe global crisis you may right.

If in 1987 as a 21 year old new hire at Continental I walked into the Denver Stapleton employee cafeteria and said to a United pilot in 35 years I’m going be a very senior United 777 Captain after we merge. Not only would I have been laughed at hysterically, they would have sent me to a psychiatric hospital for treatment and rightfully so. So what do I know you may be right.

It’s really not safe to assume that your company will be around forever. Eastern, Pan Am, Tigers, Emery, Evergreen, Airborne, World. I think Atlas is as safe as anyone. But I don’t see any current Legacy airline going anywhere either.

Please reread my last post above added to it while you were responding to my post. To add on to that. In my class of 21 at CAL in 1987. More than half left in the first two years. Some to good airlines like DAL, NWA and some to EAL, PanAm and TWA.

I even left CAL twice on leave of absences to Braniff after turning down Trump Shuttle (they told me that would be the worst mistake of my career) and Tower Air cause I hated working for Continental. But thankfully I kept my CAL seniority number both times.

I remember flying with Continental captains who left for USAir in 1990 only to be furloughed years later. Looked like a no brainer at the time.

Crazy business!

Funny how many furloughed United pilots applied to Atlas back in 2008 because we were the only gig hiring.

I'm hoping we (Omni) can get at least somewhat close on our next cba to legacy. Retirement severely lacking. Otherwise yes, it's a pretty good gig and hard to beat. Not for everyone of course.

Yep during covid furloughs my phone was blowing up from friends at legacies trying to hop over. We were still hiring during the pandemic.

I should also add in regards to staying in business that I wish we would diversify our flying. We primarily do all military charters and if we ever lost those contracts that would be the end. We do have a thing where we can shift over to Ati since Atsg owns Ati, Abx, and Omni.

What legacy furloughed during COVID? Uncle Sugar came in with $$$Billions of tax money to make sure they didn't furlough. I know some RJ operators furloughed instead of taking PPP loans, but now aware of any legacy that actually furloughed anybody or they'd have to pay the Uncle Sugar money back.

When is that WB order happening? How many of those new WBs are growth airplanes and how many are 767 and engine-failure 772A replacements?

I agree that United is more appealing than SW and Atlas in this scenario. Though SW and Atlas are a lot closer to each other, in my opinion.