Originally Posted by
wt932051
First, I have put in the extra effort for a Legacy or good major. That is what I want. You my friend have been hired at an entirely different time under way better conditions then when I was. So don't give me that crap. I'm tired of this know it all attitude. 1000 pic is not going to cut it. It's just not that easy but it is getting easier again. 10+ letters of rec and that still was not enough only 3 years ago to get on with Allegiant. Thought Mesa was going to go under. Times have changed again to where it takes way less then that now. Got a pulse? Majors are not to this point yet like regionals. How was your interview at Mesa? Phone interview? Yeah I had the real deal back in the days. Today it is a joke at the regional level. As long as you don't have felonies you are in good shape.
Times change! It appears you got in to the industry just a few years after 9/11, probably one of the worst times. Pilot jobs were hard to get. Now, oil is down, we have finally recovered from 9/11, SARS, recession, and majors are finally retiring as age 65 is hitting many. Oh and throw in the new FAR minimums to get hired. Just because you went through the "regional cauldron of hell" doesn't mean those getting on now need to, times change.
Originally Posted by
wt932051
I disagree with you on your second point. There is lots of money in aviation. Just not as much at the regionals anymore thanks to one regional throwing the other regional under the bus over and over and over. PSA and Envoy as an example. GoJet, TSA, Freedom, etc. Management always tell you what you want to hear, and tell you what they want you to know, and always make it seem better or worse depending on how it will benefit them. Mesa is private. They have more money in the bank then they claim in the books. If not, then go get it. When crew cancels start American, United, and Delta will have to do something like take back the flying to mainline. That is what I want to see. Long term the regionals are not going to keep going the way they are. Oh yeah, Mesa has money to give 500 bucks a month to future ATP new hires. So there is one example. That should be illegal per the RLA. Maybe it is idk.
You're all over the place here. You're telling everyone to vote "no" on something that hasn't even been officially released, yet you fully acknowledge the repercussions a "no" vote bears in the regional industry. By no mean am I championing a race to the bottom, but labor's only threat is self-help, and those airplanes you guys are flying will continue to fly while you guys are engaged in self-help as mainline will shift the flying before you get to the self-help stage.
Also, how should it be illegal under the RLA to offer prospective pilots an incentive to come to Mesa? Unless it violates your CBA, and the language is lacking in that document to say the least, then it's perfectly legit.
Originally Posted by
wt932051
Third, as far as whining, you are wrong, I am mad, very mad. I hate seeing pilots screw each other over. I am the one who is tired of hearing FO's complaining about their promised upgrade, crappy pay, crappy schedules, when they knew full well what they were getting when they were hired here. These quick upgrades are coming from other regional pilots who lost flying because they wanted more money.
Ah, now we're getting to the heart of the issue, emotion. Been there, done that, and I totally understand! After 6 years at ASA I wanted out so bad, and I was mad. All I can say is never quit, and exploit any opportunity no matter how small you may think it is.
I also happen to agree with you on the "perceived misfortunes" for some of these folks getting hired these days. Imagine if they had to endure a true 16 hour day with a reduced rest layover, OMG!
But back to the discussion at hand.....mainline has their portfolio of carriers, and they're pretty good at sniffing out labor strife. Lastly, Skywest, who is not a labor threat, is part of all 3 mainline regional portfolios. Regional airlines have little to no leverage. My only hope is that because recruitment is down we'll continue to see mainline absorb those block hours forcing us to hire more from the regional ranks.
Originally Posted by
wt932051
So lets just agree to burn the regionals to the ground and then you will have no reason to work for cheap to get to a major as you would already be there. Then you would actually see my whole point of standing up with other pilots and fighting for a better contract (a real union) and not just the individual looking out for him/herself and ready to screw others over.
BTW, name calling is so easy on here. I don't mean to attack you or any others, I'm just mad you guys don't seem to care about what you leave behind at the regionals or what happens to others at other regionals. I want to leave this place much better then when I came here. If I can't, then lets get every bit of flying back to the majors where we can.
This last statement is what I'm shooting for.