Originally Posted by
tinman1
Everyone's situation is different, but me personally I'd defer to the January class. Anyone hired today or in the near future won't see an upgrade for quite some time unless we get more flying or attrition gets crazy high. Twenty numbers most likely won't mean life death so go enjoy one last holiday with your family. This job just isn't worth it IMO.
How long have you been in this industry?
Obviously not long with that kind of mindset.
Here's something to ponder tinman: if he's 20 numbers higher on the list, for the rest of his career at Mesa, he's going to have a higher likelihood of holding xmas/NYE off--or holding a vacation slot on those days--for the REST OF HIS CAREER here.
So, by your logic, taking a guaranteed xmas & NYE off now is worth sacrificing an increased likelihood of xmas/NYE off every year for the rest of his career here, an increased likelihood he won't be furloughed, an increased likelihood he'll get to upgrade while the class after him is stuck as FOs, an increased likelihood he'll get better vacation weeks, an increased likelihood he'll get the training dates he wants for recurrent every single year, and--for the rest of his career here--hitting the next year of pay longevity a month earlier every year.
If you really think 2 friggin' days is worth all of the above shifts in probabilities, you probably shouldn't be an airline pilot either.
No holiday with the fam I've ever had was worth 20 slots of seniority--ever--even when I was dating ungodly hot college women and having play time with them in their parents' house while their parents were out shopping/working.
Anyone who thinks 20 spots on a 1,000-pilot seniority list is worth two piddly holidays off has no idea what they're even saying.