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Mesa Airlines Regional Airline

New Mesa Thread

Old 12-24-2015, 05:16 AM
  #3281  
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Originally Posted by BobJenkins View Post
Forgive me for sullying your rant with facts, but:

Most Junior Captain By Crew Base:
DFW: March 2015
IAD: August 2014
IAH: August 2014
PHX: July 2005

You knew what the pay was when you signed up. If it doesn't pay your bills, shame on you for not knowing that ahead of time. Use Excel, create a budget for yourself. BEFORE you need it.

No company cares about family problems. You are an employee, you are expected to show up to work when scheduled. That's been the norm for about, oh, 97 years or so.

Mesa pays for 50% of uniforms, just as Envoy does. And others. If you base your decision on which company to fly for on whether or not you have to buy a coupla shirts on your own dime, see my budget advice above.

As for "running it into the ground"... While anything is possible, the company has been around since 1979, with fewer incidents than most regionals. You should be proud to work there.
Correct

Most junior IAH CA is Sept 14.... Bc that's me lol.
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Old 12-24-2015, 05:30 AM
  #3282  
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Originally Posted by prior121 View Post
I'm curious on the caliber of a person who cannot spell simple words like "cheap" and "benefits."
There we go, a spelling Nazi. There is alwayz wone in every post. Do u spend ur day going through post to check people's spelling. Oops, that was a question. Should of used a question mark. Sorry.
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Old 12-24-2015, 05:58 AM
  #3283  
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Spelling and grammar drama aside,

If you are a prospective regional airline pilot comparing regionals and attempting to make the best choice for you, here is some information you may find helpful. Depending on your individual situation, Mesa may or may not work for you.

First, the good. Mesa’s training department is great. Mesa’s pilot group is a great bunch of people. The flying is enjoyable.

Now, the challenging parts. The gap between Mesa compensation and other regional airline compensation (including pay rates, insurance, per diem, retention bonuses, hotel reimbursement, etc.) has grown significantly over the last months. A mere 4 months ago, the gap between Mesa pay and other airline pay wasn’t as vast as it is now. Pilots that made the choice to come to Mesa when it was a more level playing field are now re-evaluating their decision, and some are jumping and starting over at other companies.

The pay is about $21k.
You can possibly make that work if you are single, child or dependent free, debt-free, have substantial savings or retirement from a prior career, a spouse to support you, or are able to live with someone in base in an inexpensive or free arrangement.

There is no long-call as there is at other airlines. What that means is you cannot be at home and fly in when you are on reserve and you cannot be far from your base airport. So if you have 6 days of reserve (common), you need to be in your base (with a 90 minute call out) that entire time. For commuters that often means finding a place to sleep for those 6 nights. Crashpads may be an option for some but be aware they are usually limited to 10 nights per month. So you have to have another place to actually live. Some regionals are paying for up to 4 hotels per month for commuters. Mesa does not.

The majority of the other regionals are now paying an effective first year salary of $45-55k when pay rates, bonuses, insurance, hotel reimbursement, etc. are taken into account. This compares to about $21k at Mesa. And the upgrade times are quickly becoming a level playing field at the regionals with some even offering Direct Entry Captain positions.

Mesa also has a $12k training contract that you sign that says you will pay them back if you leave the company within 12 months of your checkride. You pay them back a pro-rated portion of the $12k. Just something to be aware of.

There are many pilots that wish they had this information when they made their decision. But even 3 months ago, the disparity between regionals wasn’t there. Things have changed drastically over the past few months and the other regionals have substantially raised their compensation. Mesa pilots are now evaluating whether or not to make a change and start over. It is not good for neither Mesa, nor the pilots to go through training, get to the line, and then decide Mesa isn’t the right place for them and move on.

I hope this information is helpful to some. And like I said, Mesa may still be your best option if, for instance, you already live in base. Good luck to all in their decision.
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Old 12-24-2015, 05:59 AM
  #3284  
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Originally Posted by MachTwo View Post
There we go, a spelling Nazi. There is alwayz wone in every post. Do u spend ur day going through post to check people's spelling. Oops, that was a question. Should of used a question mark. Sorry.
Maybe you should sound less stupid. Problem solved.
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Old 12-24-2015, 06:09 AM
  #3285  
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I only know what I read on the interwebs. If you check Mesa-air.com, it only mentions 1982. But if you search that original certificate, several sites show it originating June 29 1979. I am not sure which is more accurate, but I was giving Mesa the benefit of the doubt. If I falsely claimed 3 extra years of life, I apologize.

Either way, they have been around a few years. Perhaps longer than many of their FOs.

Originally Posted by Bumbaclot View Post
I was thinking the same thing. I love how these guys get on here trying to rant and rave and they botch it all with atrocious spelling and such. Oh and @bobjenkins, was Mesa not founded in 1982?
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Old 12-24-2015, 06:36 AM
  #3286  
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I cannot speak to the contracts internal workings as you can, having worked at both places. But I HAVE compared many of the things a prospective employee can, such as DH pay, CXL pay, base pay ($22.18 vs. $23.23), hotels in base (neither pay for any, yet), uniforms (Mesa pays 50%, XJet pays a stipend, ends up about the same). Not too far removed one from the other (except that XJet has 100% DH & CXL pay). However, XJet tends to have a 1-2 year RSV timeframe, whereas Mesa is more like 3-4 months. I would prefer to be in the air as opposed to in a hotel room or the airport, watching other planes depart. But that's just me.

I have only talked to a handful of pilots at a few places. Wish I could talk to more, and from more companies. But my location precludes that. I think XJet is a nice company to work for, solid and all that. But just as you are unhappy at Mesa, there are many unhappy at XJet. If you don't mind sharing, why did you leave XJet for Mesa? Something must have drawn you (feel free to PM me if you don't want to air it in public.

The pilots I have talked to in person at Mesa (about three), and some who have PM'd me here, all say the same thing; pay sucks, QoL is bad if commuting, but they are left alone for the most part, and they all get along well with their peers.

None of this means I am trying to say either company is better than the other. I am saying they are closely related in the ways I am able to compare today. (That is why I am on APC, reading and sifting thru the BS to try and figure out where I would like to hang my hat. Reading the negative as well as the positive, I learn things) I can say this... I have been to other interviews, and walked away with a good feeling about the company. When I left XJet, my gut told me no, and when I got a class date, I was not excited like I have been at other companies. I trust my instincts, so I declined the job. Might be a mistake, but sadly for me, won't know until a year or two goes by. If only my crystal ball wasn't in the shop...

And as for the beer, sure, I'll still buy you a couple. A guy who works at Mesa and drinks French beer must really be down on his luck, and needs an uplifting hand to help out.

Originally Posted by Stratapilot View Post
Sure thing. Take a look at the XJT contract, and the Mesa contract. I have first hand experience dealing with both. Two totally different worlds. XJT has a very solid contact that protects its pilot, Mesa's is so vague it allows the company to run roughshod over its staff.

Kronenbourg 1664 is my preferred choice of tasty adult beverage.

Which airline do you work for again?
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Old 12-24-2015, 07:20 AM
  #3287  
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Originally Posted by BobJenkins View Post
I only know what I read on the interwebs. If you check Mesa-air.com, it only mentions 1982. But if you search that original certificate, several sites show it originating June 29 1979. I am not sure which is more accurate, but I was giving Mesa the benefit of the doubt. If I falsely claimed 3 extra years of life, I apologize.

Either way, they have been around a few years. Perhaps longer than many of their FOs.
Certificate date is usually well before flight operations start. Wikipedia (which has been known to be wrong upon occasion) says that operations started October 12, 1980, as Mesa Air Shuttle, a division of JB Aviation in Farmington NM. Its owners sold it to Larry and Janie Risley in 1982, starting the historic time-line still flying.
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Old 12-24-2015, 07:24 AM
  #3288  
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Originally Posted by EjetTaxi View Post
Correct

Most junior IAH CA is Sept 14.... Bc that's me lol.
Seniority list says Oct 2014 is the most junior so you've got at least one below you :-)
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Old 12-24-2015, 07:33 AM
  #3289  
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Come on guys it's Christmas eve. Who gives a damn about when Mesa was founded.
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Old 12-24-2015, 07:43 AM
  #3290  
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Different things matter to different people. There may be potential new hires that would never consider working for a company that was founded prior to 1990! LOL

Merry Christmas Eve, Tinman1!! And to all of you out there, working today and tomorrow, giving up your family time, a Special Merry Christmas to you. Know that while your families miss you, deep inside they appreciate the sacrifice you are making to support them.

Originally Posted by tinman1 View Post
Come on guys it's Christmas eve. Who gives a damn about when Mesa was founded.
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