There's another forum, FI, that's had Mesa info on it since at least 2002. Mesa had a yahoo forum that pilots posted on back in 2001, at least. And the Mesalounge (now Mesahub) existed as early as 2003, a forum dedicated purely to Mesa. All the issues that Mesa has now it had back then (and OO has most of them too - they're regional issues, inherent in any company that doesn't build their own brand, but rather has their schedule dictated to them as a contractor and has employees who aren't there for the long term). The information was out there.

With the exception of a Go Jets or Gulfstream job, I can't understand why guys make lateral moves at regionals. If you'd been hired in 2003 or 2004 at any large regional, you could have been with just about any passenger major airline, and most cargo airlines too. By making a lateral move, you give up the opportunity to be at a major (pay, QOL, career potential) and the opportunity to upgrade earlier (pay - OO doesn't pay their FO's nearly what a Captain makes flying a jet @ a regional, type on the resume, marketability). What did you gain? Hopefully some QOL. But, long term, the QOL at all regionals is not up to par with that of virtually any of the majors, large cargo carriers, or national fractionals. What's the goal, to always chase the pot of gold, or to make a commitment? The best QOL is enjoyed by seniority, and at a good company. Right now, Southwest, Fed Ex, UPS, and Net Jets are the 'in' companies to work for (notice, none are 'regionals'). However, the good life @ all of these companies is when you get some seniority. 10 years would be a good #, at least. 10 years ago, 1998, none of these companies where 'the company' to work for. There were many pilots who left these companies, in fact, to work for the 'in' companies of the day: United was where a lot of them ended up. They gave up seniority at a good company to go to a 'great' one, and now . . . the mighty United is not the 'golden ticket' it once was (here's hoping it gets back there, though). How many guys left United in 1998 to go to Fed Ex, UPS, Southwest or NetJets - I'd bet no more that 5, total, and those only went b/c they needed the base that one of these 4 offered; nobody could have predicted what would happen over the next decade.

To make a lateral move @ a career company makes some sense, if done early, before seniority is built up. To make a lateral move to a company that you plan on leaving makes no sense at all. You make vertical moves at these 'career builders', put your time in, and then make another vertical move to another one, or to a career company. The QOL gain one would get by giving up any more than a year @ YV to go to OP would be pointless unless you lived in SLC. Otherwise, the financial hit (YV CA pay for 2 years instead of OP FO pay is worth about $60-70K now, and almost 1 mil. over your lifetime if invested) and the career hit you'd take is just too much (by going to OP, you give up not only the pay of YV, but also trade how ever many years you spend @ OO for years at your career airline - there goes another $50-150K a year, each year). Even if you live in SLC, you stay @ YV (for example) and now you're competitive for DL. Get on with DL, now you are with the only major that has a SLC base. If you live in SLC, your goal should almost always be DL, not OO.

And if you make a move just for internet 'street credibility' so that you can go on a regional forum and join the majority - well, then you have different values than most, especially those on the 'major forum', which is where you want to be in the first place, no doubt.

OO is a good company today, but don't lose sight of the long term goal. If it's OP, congrats, and I wish you the best in your career. Great seniority @ OP and living in base can be a good life, and here's hoping that doesn't change.