Originally Posted by
Saucy Dingo
What makes CommutAir better or even equal to any other DC/NY carriers? The people are great and the job is the job, but people are treated poorly on the line. The higher ups can smile and **** sunshine all day. You'll still get paid $0 while babysitting their airplane on your 4 hour delays to Newark. Line holders are still getting extended into days off a few times each month and can't get their days off back. And I've never heard of any other company that takes a trip from a line holder for IOE, and then puts the line holder on airport reserve for all those days. So much for that commutable trip, Mr. Line Holder. Seniority seems to mean very little here.
It's great that the training delays are finally gone for now. But as long as these work conditions exist I don't see how we can attract enough people to grow. There are plenty of other options in DC and NY with better soft pay and working conditions. Instant upgrades were the only thing that got the pilot list as big as it is. The target is moving and we're falling behind.
^^^All of this. 100% accurate. And not only four hour delays.... how about the weekly 4-5+ hour scheduled sits! I've never seen such long, regularly scheduled sits... and with no duty rig, you just eat it.
Every line holder is a reservist. It's unreal. And this says nothing to what it's like when you are actually on reserve. I go to layovers expecting to not have a room, because it happens that often. Waiting an hour in the lobby to sort it out? That's a normal day for me. This last week I averaged three deadheads per revenue flight. Every month I am extended and have to file to get my day off back on a day that I didn't want it.
Now, I still wouldn't recommend Mesa, but in the NYC/DC area, why would you choose C5? Honestly. Endeavor, Air Wis, Republic, Piedmont....
If management wants pilots, they have to open their eyes before it's too late. Almost no one on the line is happy. All the magic of growing is gone, people are beat up, most of the laughter is in commiseration over how bad it is. There is little optimism. There is nothing to encourage retention. This management team needs a game-changer to encourage both new hires and keep current pilots.