Atlas interviewing!!!!!!

[CCDiscoB]

Excellent info Icebergclub! I was under the impression that the new contract fixed a lot of pervious scheduling problems. Does the company ever break-up an 18-day schedule into two trips a month? I guess I’m asking are there shorter trips?

Does Atlas have a retirement plan?

What about pilots that are in the Guard. Will they work around our schedules?

 

[USNFDX]

Anyone heard any rumors about Fedex Buying Atlas?

 

[mar]

Yup. All the time.

That's probably one of the more *vicious* rumors out there.

The number 2 vicious rumor was probably American buying Alaska.

I don't know where they get started but it's probably more wishful thinking than anything.

Good luck.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Freight vs. Packages

I actually heard the same rumors too, and I'm not even out there. It must be because Atlas' stock price is so low that it would be ripe for a takeover. When I heard that rumor it got me thinking. Atlas and Polar move freight, FedEx's primary business is package moving, can these two separate categories come together in a way that is beneficial to FedEx?

How did this work back in the Flying Tigers days? Does FedEx still move a lot of the old Flying Tigers' freight?

 

[FearlessFreep]

Icebergclub,

Thanx for the info! Reading your post got me to laughing...I work for a ACMI freight operator as well. We look at you Atlas guys with a lot of envy. Your narrative is EXACTLY what we have to deal with, the only difference that I can see is that we can get stuck out on the road for 40 days in a row and possibly longer. From our prospective we thought you would have it a lot better than us; well you make more money, your company is more solvent and your -400's glide past us over the North Pacific, I guess that still is a lot better. This makes me feel like we all have a lot in common. You know the expression, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". Being away from home for as long as we are gives you a new respect for it. I revel in every minute that I have at home.

Other than the uncertainty of the future (This is now a given for all of us in this industry), and not much pay, I am VERY happy to be where I am at. I have a flying job! I hope and pray it lasts!

Good Luck To All & Happy Holidays!

P.S. A Bunch of Atlas aircraft are painted with that "Purple Tail" design. The color is very close to the Fedex color, It can make you think.

 

[Icebergclub]

40 pilots..........

Just heard word from one of the union guys that the company wants to hire 40 pilots now with possibly more later in 03.

No info on which aircraft or bases.

Happy Holidays to everybody and there familys!

Icebergclub

 

[CCDiscoB]

Iceburgclub,

How "trigger happy" would you say Atlas is with regards to furloughs? At the first hint of a slow down will they let these new pilots go? 40 pilots seems like a lot all of a sudden. Don’t they still have a pool?

Speaking of which, if they hire straight into the -400, and subsequently reduce the -200 flying and furlough those guys, how will that out of seniority furlough work? Didn’t that happen during the last furlough?

Thanks

 

[AV8OR]

Rumors....

Here's one....

From the Yahoo Atlas board, that DHL would be buying Atlas.

Anybody inside heard any rumbling to that affect?

Feel free to PM me.

 

[Icebergclub]

CCDiscoB,
Thats the really scary part with Atlas, they are very trigger happy about furloughs. They do not hesitate to furlough at the drop of a hat. They have done it numerous times. The guys on the botton of the list joke about being seasonal employees......the problem is it's not a joke after you have been furloughed 2 or 3 times.

The out of senority furlough that happened was a deal brokered betweent our old MEC and the company. The threat from the company was if you dont let us furlough out of senority we will furlough many more pilots and engineers. In the interest of saving some jobs the MEC elected to go along with the deal. It was a bad deal in my opinoin. (It was not brought to a vote, or even mentioned to the pilots) Senority is all we have, and now we dont even have that!

I believe that our Contract now prevents this from happening, but there are some other shady things that can happen though. There are some serious loopholes in the contract.

Yes, Atlas works very well with military pilots from what I hear. And yes there are shorter trips. Depending on which base you are at and what you bid there can actaully be some pretty nice lines. In ANC you can do 3 to 5 day trips and every once in a while Chicago turns happen. Out and back ANC-ORD-ANC home that night to sleep in your own bed! The schedules really vary from horrific to great (well, great that is for 747 flying).

They have the 401k, and profit sharing.

Happy Holidays!

Icebergclub
Proud, yet humble and very appreciative SWA Poolie!

 

[CCDiscoB]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll be a little less aggressive at trying to work there.

I see you are jumping ship and going to SWA. Is this for quality of life? You'd rather fly the 737 for the rest of your career that the -400. I wondered, hypothetically of course, if I was to ever work for Atlas and FedEx called would I go to FedEx. Go from flying the right seat to the panel. Hmm, the lives of a professional pilot, very interesting. At my age (40) I can’t do much job changing. What are you thoughts?