ACMI carrier updates?

STS-41B

Well-Known Member
According to apc.. all are hiring.
However, Western Global has no openings listed, and an email inquiry got a response that said "currently not hiring."
ATI.. opens their window sporadically but seems they're difficult to get on with..
Kalitta.. no openings on their webpage.
Atlas.. says they're hiring but applications go unanswered.
Omni.. at least they admit they're not hiring on apc..

Are these places actually hiring? Or just saying they are but wasting our time applying?
 
A lot of these places have had to change their plans so rapidly that they don't even know the answer to that question. The last few months have officially moved the needle from "warning signs, but cautious optimism" to "global economic s**tshow." ACMI is historically a hard-hit sector in the early stages of a recession, and we should expect to see that going into 2020. I know K4 and Atlas/Southern are parking airplanes. I honestly believe that the reason you don't hear about ACMIs furloughing already is due to massive attrition to passenger carriers.

APC's airline statistics are peer-updated, and usually lag behind the actual state of affairs. The "hiring now" status is not still there out of spite. If you have other opportunities available to you, they will most likely be quicker to respond. Best case in the short term, ACMIs will hire at a trickle to cover attrition. Worst case, one or several ACMI carriers will fail, and over a thousand more pilots will be competing with you for all the other jobs you need to be looking at right now.
 
Last edited:
A lot of these places have had to change their plans so rapidly that they don't even know the answer to that question. The last few months have officially moved the needle from "warning signs, but cautious optimism" to "global economic s**tshow." ACMI is historically a hard-hit sector in the early stages of a recession, and we should expect to see that going into 2020. I know K4 and Atlas/Southern are parking airplanes. I honestly believe that the reason you don't hear about ACMIs furloughing already is due to massive attrition to passenger carriers.

APC's airline statistics are peer-updated, and usually lag behind the actual state of affairs. The "hiring now" status is not still there out of spite. If you have other opportunities available to you, they will most likely be quicker to respond. Best case in the short term, ACMIs will hire at a trickle to cover attrition. Worst case, one or several ACMI carriers will fail, and over a thousand more pilots will be competing with you for all the other jobs you need to be looking at right now.
Kallita is parking planes? Seems like their total fleet is growing. They just got a brand new 777 for DHL.
 
Kalitta is indeed still getting 777s for DHL, and their long-term fleet plan still has growth in mind. In the short term, the Turkish contract ends next month, and the Pacific market in particular is suffering immensely. As a result, at least two BCFs that were going in for D-check will now be parked indefinitely. 777 fleet growth is planned, while net K4 fleet growth looks negative in the short term. Also part of the calculus is that we are parking planes we own, and gaining planes we will operate on a CMI basis for a customer that always spreads contracts among multiple carriers.

Attrition has gone from near-zero since the signing of the new contract, to somewhere in the neighborhood of 7% of the list this winter. Kalitta's prospects and career expectations are still head and shoulders above most of our ACMI contemporaries, in my opinion. But we are not immune to the global state of affairs. We hired for growth that is simply not happening right now, and our future hiring plans are unknown. Anyone on the outside looking in has to understand that cargo hiring is stopping just as passenger carriers are planning a long-term hiring ramp up, and adjust their job search accordingly.
 
Last edited:
In the last 10 days, after signing into a chat room for a virtual job fair, I was contacted by Atlas. After informing them that I hadn't applied, they encouraged me to, and pitched Southern as well. First time I have ever been solicited like that by a heavy equipment operator. Although it's flattering to feel like the pretty girl in the bar, afterwords I realized that my suitors probably all have syphilis.
 
In the last 10 days, after signing into a chat room for a virtual job fair, I was contacted by Atlas. After informing them that I hadn't applied, they encouraged me to, and pitched Southern as well. First time I have ever been solicited like that by a heavy equipment operator. Although it's flattering to feel like the pretty girl in the bar, afterwords I realized that my suitors probably all have syphilis.

Do not Atlas.

Don’t know much about the other guys, but I’d avoid Atlas like syphilis. I think we are diversified enough to withstand everything that is going on IF the company wanted to attract/retain pilots. It’s obvious they don’t, so...
 
Atlas is hiring. Got a call to schedule an interview the day after submitting an application. With only around 2300 tt to boot!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
Atlas is hiring. Got a call to schedule an interview the day after submitting an application. With only around 2300 tt to boot!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
You'll feel the weight of your career decision the first day of class. When you're 1 of 4 that show up out of 30+ invited.
Don't worry, you won't fail training though. We don't do that anymore. Everyone passes.
Then think about the consequences of that when you get on the line.

If attrition wasn't so high, I think we'd furlough this year. We're parking planes and giving routes to K4. I think K4 now flies a significant portion of what we used to. I think the idea was southern would take all the 777 growth, but there's just not enough morons out there to work at southern. Maybe you could be one of them?
Did I meantion there's no scope?
 
Don't worry, you won't fail training though. We don't do that anymore. Everyone passes.

This is not entirely accurate. Of 14 in the 767 at the start of December only five have, so far, passed their type ride. One quit. Five were 'not recommended' and two failed. Four are still working at it. I don't believe this is due to higher standards in the training department.

Know what you're setting yourself up for before you commit to anything.
 
This is not entirely accurate. Of 14 in the 767 at the start of December only five have, so far, passed their type ride. One quit. Five were 'not recommended' and two failed. Four are still working at it. I don't believe this is due to higher standards in the training department.

Know what you're setting yourself up for before you commit to anything.
We have standards?
 
Should've mentioned, I passed on their offer. Mostly thanks to what I've read on these boards.

Unfortunately many of my friends are leaving my current airline for Atlas, I hope it works well for them. Tried to nudge them towards giving this forum a gander before committing, but they have dreams of flying a 747.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
Should've mentioned, I passed on their offer. Mostly thanks to what I've read on these boards.

Unfortunately many of my friends are leaving my current airline for Atlas, I hope it works well for them. Tried to nudge them towards giving this forum a gander before committing, but they have dreams of flying a 747.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

That’s how they get ya.

It’s a shame they’ve decided to ruin a place with such great potential.
 
ATI will continue hiring at a good rate this year. I was hired in July last year and have about 80 pilots below me as of now. They open the application window once their pool depletes, that varies on how many they plan to hire. I’ve heard around 200 more this year. Internal references here are pretty much a guaranteed interview providing the applicant has an ATP. Not sure what the current time from application to phone call is, mine was about a 6 month wait

So far this place has been very good to me. The flying is easy and you only go to work once a month (for 16 days at a time). It is ACMI though, so it can all change very quickly.

I personally am still trying to adjust to the trip length, by day 10 or so I just want to be done. But it feels great to have a few weeks off once you’re home as well. The home basing is why I chose this path and so far it has been well worth it.
 
Last edited:
ATI will continue hiring at a good rate this year. I was hired in July last year and have about 80 pilots below me as of now. They open the application window once their pool depletes, that varies on how many they plan to hire. I’ve heard around 200 more this year. Internal references here are pretty much a guaranteed interview providing the applicant has an ATP. Not sure what the current time from application to phone call is, mine was about a 6 month wait

So far this place has been very good to me. The flying is easy and you only go to work once a month (for 16 days at a time). It is ACMI though, so it can all change very quickly.

I personally am still trying to adjust to the trip length, by day 10 or so I just want to be done. But it feels great to have a few weeks off once you’re home as well. The home basing is why I chose this path and so far it has been well worth it.

Did you have any internal rec? I've applied multiple times to ATI but always get the "thanks for your interest but we've decided to pursue candidates with qualifications closer to what we're looking for" or whatever they say ... I have 7500 total hours.. 1500 part 121 PIC... only box I can't check is a 757/67 type rating... but I know no-one there to walk my résumé in .. do job fairs help if they're actually attending one ?
 
Omni's training department is backed up quite a bit. Once they catch up, hiring will resume. We're having a hard time staffing the flying we have now. We have a few new airframes coming in the coming months along with some new flying.
 
Atlas claims they're desperate for pilots.. well, they don't say that, but if they're only getting 5 people in a class they were hoping to have 30 in, that seems like they need pilots.
Buddy of mine just said he got the TBNT after a phone screen - he's more than qualified. I guess they're not that in-need of pilots or enjoy shooting themselves in the foot ?
 
Atlas claims they're desperate for pilots.. well, they don't say that, but if they're only getting 5 people in a class they were hoping to have 30 in, that seems like they need pilots.
Buddy of mine just said he got the TBNT after a phone screen - he's more than qualified. I guess they're not that in-need of pilots or enjoy shooting themselves in the foot ?

They are concerned about turnover. Lots of people leave with the type in the first few months.
 
Back
Top