Atlas Air question(s)
Thread Starter

Joined: Jun 2010
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From: socal
Atlas Air question(s)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
i'm interested in applying to atlas and was hoping you all may provide insight into the company. first, what are the bases for junior fo's? can i be based out of klax? what is the overall work climate with the union being teamsters as opposed to other companies governed by ALPA? how do they treat their people (pilots) under the teamsters? and overall how would you rate atlas as a company to work for as opposed to other cargo carriers such as fedex or ups? i understand that they expect you to be gone upwards of 17 days consecutive. any insight would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance.
kind regards,
i'm interested in applying to atlas and was hoping you all may provide insight into the company. first, what are the bases for junior fo's? can i be based out of klax? what is the overall work climate with the union being teamsters as opposed to other companies governed by ALPA? how do they treat their people (pilots) under the teamsters? and overall how would you rate atlas as a company to work for as opposed to other cargo carriers such as fedex or ups? i understand that they expect you to be gone upwards of 17 days consecutive. any insight would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance.
kind regards,
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Seattle KBFI
Junior base for FO's on B744 is ANC, followed by HSV. For B767 junior base is CVG (only other 767 base is JFK). Minor expansion in LAX base has junior FO being a mid- 2014 hire. But it might take a year or 2 to hold LAX.
For work climate, I see no difference between ALPA and Teamsters. Either way, you are bound by a contract. Management doesn't care which union is representing the pilot group.
There is no comparison with FedEx or UPS pay rates, work rules, retirement, etc.
For work climate, I see no difference between ALPA and Teamsters. Either way, you are bound by a contract. Management doesn't care which union is representing the pilot group.
There is no comparison with FedEx or UPS pay rates, work rules, retirement, etc.
Last edited by bigduke6; 18th June 2015 at 14:21. Reason: punctuation, seniority

Joined: Mar 1999
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Joined: Nov 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,954
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From: Texas
How many hours per month can a new FO expect to work? Is 17 days on a normal schedule or is that the extreme? And how many days off are crews normally scheduled?
Thread Starter

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 31
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From: socal
Thanks for the insight gents. But what if you find yourself in the scenario where in you're at the end of your 17 day trip in DBX or YSSY for example and instead of paying for you to return to your domicile, Atlas management in turn keeps you on the road to pick up the next flight coming through that location.? therefore, you find yourself on the road for months? I've heard this is possible. Is this the norm or something that seldom occurs?


Joined: Nov 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,954
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From: Texas
Your 17 days won't end in YSSY or OMDB. They have to show the line ending in your base with at least 5 days off. The company can only involuntarily extend you 3 days "to preserve the operation." About every other year I get an extra day out of them. Only once was it really flying, they had scheduled a flight New Year's Eve back to the U.S. It didn't go until the 1st so I got an extra day's pay. A few times they've been unable to show me legally back in my base in my original scheduled days so I'd get an extra day even though I was already home mowing the yard. It used to be under the old contract you could get the last part of one month and first part of the next and be out 34 days. The current contract allows you either accept that or they'll mash up the second month's schedule to give you a break.
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Raleigh, NC
Thanks for the info Marker. I heard they are only hiring for ANC. Is it unheard of to try to commute being based in ANC? I live in NC. Not opposed to moving but ANC..............Not sure if I can convince my wife of that.


Joined: Nov 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 30
From: Texas
ANC is junior for the 747, CVG for the 767. Either way, Atlas will buy you a ticket to the plane and back home and buy you a hotel room when you get there. Most likely you'll end up loosing a day off having to go up there on your last day off but you know to go to the airport and don't have to plan on being bumped twice before you get on.





