I have a Master's degree, about 4000 hours total time, and have plenty of internal recs at a few LCCs and two of the legacies.

And I'm insanely good-looking.

So no--I'm not really pessimistic about my career prospects at this time. I know things can rapidly deteriorate at any airline--been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

I'm perfectly happy in the left seat of the 175 at this company if things grind to a halt, and perfectly happy going back to my lucrative research career if things really go south economically or otherwise.

Not sure where your animosity towards Mesa is coming from--were you here in the Air Midwest days or what's your damage? It's a different company now--I promise.

It makes me sad that people like yourself are so bitter and self-loathing about your own career progression/life that you feel the need to waste time & energy hating on other people's outcomes in life.

I worked hard and made something of a horrible situation after the Pinnacle bankruptcy, and actually managed to sock away some money for a rainy day--I came out in the left-seat of great equipment at a company that has treated me well. Take your hate elsewhere, buddy.