Higney, at this point it's all speculation. I'm aware we can bypass and keep our mesaba seniority, I'm just keenly aware that if we bypass we may damage our final seniority.

Lets say we go to pinnacle and get a pinnacle seniority number of 1160 as one of the first called (example number only) in the mean time pinnacle hires 60 so the final number on pinnacles list is 1220. (still just an example) The SLI is completed and furloughed pilots are stapled from 1220 on down. If we had taken a job when pinnacle was hiring we would have a pinnacle number above what our Mesaba number would have been.

For clarity lets say there's a pilot Bob. Pinnacle Bob gets 1160 but Pinnacle Bobs Mesaba seniority gets stapled at 1221. So now Pinnacle Bob has essentially two numbers on the list, one which is because he took a job at Pinnacle and one that represents his original seniority. If it's only Pinnacle list you are considering maybe he only lost 60 numbers, if the Mesaba furloughs are stapled below all active pilots on both other lists then you stand to lose 150 numbers by defering a recall. I really don't believe if a guy has a Pinnacle number they are going to force him back to his Mesaba number, but if he doesn't have a Pinnacle number then I guess they wouldn't be changing anything.

I know that seems like a really convoluted example but it didn't seem like you understand the choice furloughs may be facing.

You are more than welcome to say it won't go that way, and I sincerely hope you are correct but it would be nothing more than speculation and it's a calculated risk.

A large portion of Mesaba's furloughs are already twice furloughed so we're not spring chicken for how things can work out. Airlines can say whatever they please about whatever they please and you won't know the truth until it actually happens.

Which is why in the end, it all comes down to wait and see.

For the record, I hope I'm wrong about all of this and I'll be nothing but pleasantly surprised by the final outcome. I was pleasantly surprised by the concept of actually rehiring the furloughs instead of off the street regardless of what my personal decision in that matter might one day be.