US Air or Atlas?

[b737jock]

Go to US Air or Atlas? What would you do?

 

[Quimby]

Quite a difference in your options. Do you want to take your chances at US & see what happens with the next round of mergers? Seeing as you're on the 74 now, you know what Atlas entails.

Good luck either way.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

You might want to read the US Airways alpa decertification thread. It is an eye opener. That place is a train wreck. Looks like the drive for a new union could cause there to be NO union, or a ineffective union that can not collect dues from half the pilots. Then when it is all over and the East finds out they still are not able to get around the NIC award things will really get ugly.

 

[G100driver]

Take Atlas and -400 type.

Go to Singapore or some other outfit that is hiring -400 pilots in the future. Lots more opprotunity for 747 drivers than there is E-190 drivers.

Just my .02 cents ... since you asked!

 

[propsarebest]

Go to US Air or Atlas? What would you do?

Giant offers the same lifestyle you have right now...

 

[johnsonrod]

No question - go to Atlas. Why would you want to get involved in the USAirways mess? Constant infighting. Long upgrade times. Constantly have to defend low service standards. Flying into and out of PHL frequently. No thanks.

 

[Tomct]

Go to US Air or Atlas? What would you do?

Is this a Trick Question? ATLAS in a second!! Good luck on your decision.

 

[Captzaahlie]

Go to US Air or Atlas? What would you do?

And give up the "glamor" of airline life??????

Are you kidding???

I always thought the 74 was a very cool bird but alas I'll be an airways new hire next month,
good luck with the decision!

Just out of curiosity are you the dude that got that first jump seat out of LAS after the FTI SWA open house?
If so small world...
Take care,
capt z

PS: I want an application to unzip orange jumpsuits....

 

[CALRepublic]

There is a lot of attrition at Atlas, its a difficult , hard job. Someone started a thread about 3 months ago, he said there were 12 guys with him during initial training, 2 years later, only 3 guys left. He was interviweing at CO the following week.

Do some research before you go to Atlas, their attrition is extremely high.

As for US Airways, they're a mess, they always have been, so pick the lesser of two evils I guess.

 

[sgu]

I think attrition at Atlas is comparable to the other legacy airlines. The cause of the high attrition has been patched up and will hopefully be improved w/ contract '08. Atlas is a good place to be with a lot of hiring and growth on the way. 2 -400's this year and maybe more on the way while the first delivery for the -800 is 2 years away. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Captzaahlie]

The running joke with my cohorts that leaving a very secure regional with me to airways is ;The place has no where to go but up....of course out of business is always an option too. At the momment I don't have a better offer, so hell I'll just test the waters. I think airways might still have some potential, looking at aircraft orders and market structure plans down the road but then I'm a little bit of an optimist. I still believe at least one engine will keep turning after V1..............No doubt airways is a mess rigt now regarding employee moral but the "business model" is I better shape than it has been in over a decade despite high fuel cost.

 

[vetrider]

Captain Z has the right idea, a little independent thought is a good thing. Listening to the resident geniouses parroting the 'obvious' isn't necessarily the best strategy. Ninety five percent of the bloviating on this board is amateur hour at best.

 

[Bubba Dog]

Atlas flying very hard on the body,back side of clock. Long,long periods away from home,not family friendly. Will probably be furloughed. Not a job you want to go into old age with.

Go to Airways and have a normal lifestyle. Probably good chance of furlough at Airways too.

Its all a crap shoot,take your best shot and good luck!

 

[landlover]

Go to Airways and have a normal lifestyle. Probably good chance of furlough at Airways too.

please define normal.

 

[Junkflyer]

The downside to the long-haul freight outfits is that the schedule never gets shorter than the 18 (or whatever the contract says) days a month.

 

[snow-back]

I had some friends and knew lots of folks who went to TWA in the late '90s thinking there was nowhere to go but up. Some were lucky enough to get out before 2001. About the same time, I read a newspaper article that was trying to guess the airline landscape 25 years out. The article postulated it would be 3 mega-carriers (American, Delta and United) plus the cash-strapped TWA. I guess you could substitute USAirways for TWA now.

 

[charterpuke]

I had some friends and knew lots of folks who went to TWA in the late '90s thinking there was nowhere to go but up. Some were lucky enough to get out before 2001. About the same time, I read a newspaper article that was trying to guess the airline landscape 25 years out. The article postulated it would be 3 mega-carriers (American, Delta and United) plus the cash-strapped TWA. I guess you could substitute USAirways for TWA now.

Except US Airways is not cash-strapped.

 

[snow-back]

Except US Airways is not cash-strapped.

Yet .

 

[Captzaahlie]

Yet .

True (not strapped for $'s yet), and "global warming" hasn't submerged NY city yet either...... There are some things out of my hands and we'll just have to deal with them as they present themselves.
I can run around saying the sky is falling all day and still have the current (soon to be shot down?) satellite miss me and fall into the ocean.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/02/20/satellite.shootdown/?iref=mpstoryview

 

[dirkdigler]

There are many ways to pick an airline to work for but I know one thing: The direction in which the herd is running is not a good indicator of anything.

 

[Captzaahlie]

There are many ways to pick an airline to work for but I know one thing: The direction in which the herd is running is not a good indicator of anything.

I agree one doesn't have to follow the sheep over the edge of the cliff........

 

[mcjohn]

Airways can only go up like Capt. says. Only thing I've heard that could be a definite crux for Airways is if their big order on those jets still not on the market goes bad. Aren't these new planes a large player in the new business plan and some new cargo ops or something? What if the jet has problems when it hits the market. What are they? Airbus 350s or something like that? (pardon my ignorance.)

 

[Deadalus]

Airways can only go up like Capt. says. Only thing I've heard that could be a definite crux for Airways is if their big order on those jets still not on the market goes bad. Aren't these new planes a large player in the new business plan and some new cargo ops or something? What if the jet has problems when it hits the market. What are they? Airbus 350s or something like that? (pardon my ignorance.)

The majority of the order is for replacement aircraft, A320s and A330s. Of the 129 aircraft total ordered 22 are A350s. As far as Airways or Atlas? Normally a question like that shouldn't be asked, but the east seems intent on screwing up a good thing. If USAPA comes in and then we merge again count on all the Airways pilots being on the bottom of a list.

 

[Captzaahlie]

Airways can only go up like Capt. says. Only thing I've heard that could be a definite crux for Airways is if their big order on those jets still not on the market goes bad. Aren't these new planes a large player in the new business plan and some new cargo ops or something? What if the jet has problems when it hits the market. What are they? Airbus 350s or something like that? (pardon my ignorance.)

Some notes from:
http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/legacy/us_airways.html

• New service to London-Heathrow in March
• Ordered 5 more A330-200ss, options for 2 more
• The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) filed cards with NMB on Nov 13th for a representational election to replace ALPA
• Buying two more A320 simulators and placing them in PHX
• Also buying an A330 simulator for Phoenix
• PIT will close as a pilot domicile Jan 1st
• Awarded PHL-Beijing, China beginning in 2009
• Placed order with Airbus in June, bringing total to 92 new aircraft on order
• Breakdown: 22 A350XWBs, 10 A330s, and 60 A320-family
• First A350WXB to enter service in 2014
• North American launch customer for A350XWB
• Replacing all 737s within 5 years
• Service to 19 European cities with 22 daily flights
• About 500 US Airways "east" pilots (widebody) were placed at the very top while the middle seniority was ratioed
• Approx. 1,750 "east" pilots (furloughed at date of merger) were placed below the last AWA new-hire of 2005
• All "East" furloughed pilots were put behind the most junior AWA pilot
• E190 deliveries: 25 firm, 32 options

I don't know anything about the cargo ops except that airlines make huge bucks hauling freight. I don't recall actual numbers but years ago when Usair was hurting and the international pax loads out of CLT were light across the pond the company still reported big profits on those flights because of all the stuff they were hauling in the bellies of those 76's.

 

[CALRepublic]

quote]

we have a bunch of US Airways refugees here at NetJets. Several were furloghed, and never went back, some just left. I went to sim training last month, my sim partner left Airways on his own. He wasn't furloghed or anything like that. He said he was more than ready to leave "I had to get out from underneath the big blue umbrella". He also said the merger was "messy"

 

[FLYLOW22]

quote]

we have a bunch of US Airways refugees here at NetJets. Several were furloghed, and never went back, some just left. I went to sim training last month, my sim partner left Airways on his own. He wasn't furloghed or anything like that. He said he was more than ready to leave "I had to get out from underneath the big blue umbrella". He also said the merger was "messy"

He was being polite.

 

[spitfire1500]

Atlas...in a second. I've been flying long haul cargo and love it. The layovers are usually long enough to prevent any long term fatigue. You're not commuting back and forth every few days and compared to most of the Pax carriers youre actually getting a few bucks first year. Go see the world for a few years and if you hate it the 74 experience will get you something else. Oh yea one other perk...you can pretty much wear what you want when flying, the most original uniform I've seen... Hawaiian shorts, tee shirt and a bucket hat like Hunter S.Thompson use to wear. The worst uniform...in the desert (about 140F) with a broken APU unloading.... a Tee shirt, Boxer short underwear and balck socks with dress shoes...add in a beer gut and it was pretty nasty!!

This kind of flying either you love it or hate it. Those who hate it where I'm at think in terms of..."Damn I gotta go to work for 16 days straight...those who love it.."allright I got 14 or 15 days off in a row when I get home". My co. can extend to 18 days but on day 18 you have to be at your home airport by 2359Z (I've only had this happen once in the last year...to sit 2 extra days in Hawaii).
A consideration you may also want to look at is destinations...this ain't going back and forth between New York and Cleveland....you get to go to a lot of hotspots..(Afghanistan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar and many others) that offer some real challenging flying, grab a chart sometime and look at the terrain around Kabul and Bishkek....once again depends how you look at it..some "Oh god I dont want to go to those sh%t places." others .."Im gonna have lots of cool stories to tell my grandkids"

 

[mcjohn]

16 days straight?! F that. I worry what would happen to my family life if I were doing the 7 days on 7 off that the fractionals do.

There is obviously a huge quality of life issue between these two choices. How about having 15 or more days off a month with something like 4 on 3 off? That's what you'll get at the airline.

If you have or want to have a family it's a no brainer.

 

[sean67]

I had some friends and knew lots of folks who went to TWA in the late '90s thinking there was nowhere to go but up. Some were lucky enough to get out before 2001. About the same time, I read a newspaper article that was trying to guess the airline landscape 25 years out. The article postulated it would be 3 mega-carriers (American, Delta and United) plus the cash-strapped TWA. I guess you could substitute USAirways for TWA now.

We do have our problems like other airlines, but we have 4 Billion in cash. I would'nt call that cash strapped.

 

[Captzaahlie]

quote]

we have a bunch of US Airways refugees here at NetJets. Several were furloghed, and never went back, some just left. I went to sim training last month, my sim partner left Airways on his own. He wasn't furloghed or anything like that. He said he was more than ready to leave "I had to get out from underneath the big blue umbrella". He also said the merger was "messy"

I met Derinda up in ORD got a hold of an app. and consider that my out (fully counting my chickens before they hatch) if I don't like the Airways scene, the thing is mainline is still a better deal than what I have now. However, NJ's is real "interesting" to me. I have a Capt. buddy thats on the "10" living in my "hood" that is very well respected and can give me a pretty good recommendation for the interview. The thing is, I used to do charter flying for the rich and not so famous and even though it is fun in it's on way, I'd rather be with the airlines. ( I know NJ's is a whole different professional deal, but it's still on demand charter. Just with really sweet benefits!
I guess the airline flying gets in your blood........
I'm not dumb enough to not have a couple of alternates brewing though.

Thanks for the warning. I hope I don't have buy you a cold one at NJ's one day and say gee Capt. CALRepublic you were right sir, what the "F" was I thinking!!!!!!
:crying: