I'd have to respectfully disagree. I don't think management wants me to go. They've even gone so far as to promise 20 upgrades a month on each side to keep 'me' here. But, the data shows 42 upgrades in the last 5 perm bids over the last 6 months. That's 7 upgrades a month which contradicts their promises. I tend to think the real number of upgrades per month will be closer to recent history than management promises. But, I could be wrong.

 

well i have an interview next Monday, lets see how it goes.

 

I saw what you did there.

-2263

 

When I say that you're giving management what they want, I'm referring to mainline management who shuffles the flying to the cheapest carrier, and the management of the cheaper carrier.

 

Do you have your application on file to work for these mainline carriers and give them what they want?

 

That reasoning is absolutely asinine. I'm referring of going from one regional to another in a lateral move. If management could outsource all their flying to regional airlines, and pay guys $105/hr to operate a 777 instead of $205/hr, do you think they would hesitate?

 

So you think going from an FO position to the Left Seat with a substantial pay and experience increase is a lateral move?

 

And it's OK for you to go to The Oppressors for a pay hike, but not for me to go to another regional for one. Sounds like you're a bit more hypocritical than altruistic.

 

So a couple questions from this.

If I'm on Short Call with 4AM, 6AM, 9AM or Noon starts, is it like 5 or 6 days in a row or is it going to be just random as a new guy? I'm going to miss having weekends off, but I guess I'll have to suck it up...

Does ExpressJet have any jump seat deals with Delta or any of the majors? If I'm going to be off up to 20 days a month then I might try and do a bit of traveling on my days off.

 

Yes, going from one regional to another is a lateral move. Going to a major is not a lateral move.

Lets just use Mesa and American as an example.

...................Mesa..............American
..............F/O.......Capt.......F/O.......Capt
Year 1 -...$22.........$57.......$75.......$137
Year 2 -...$29.........$59.......$75.......$138
Year 4 -...$34.........$63.......$88.......$140

It takes 11 years as a Mesa captain, to make what an American/US Airways E-Jet first year F/O makes. When pilots switch regional airlines, that tells the oppressors as you call them (in which you support as well), that they can continue to shift flying from one cheaper carrier to the next. What happens when another cheaper carrier comes along and takes your flying, and you're back on the street?

Wouldn't a better idea to try and change the way this game it? Make the majors be forced to bring flying back in house, thus created more major jobs, higher pay, higher compensation, better QoL, etc? You also state pay hike, like the dollar amount is the tell tale sign of everything. Total compensation is a whole 'nother ball game.

Good luck with what ever you chose. But remember, you're not upgrading because our costs are to high to grow. We cannot compete with cheaper airlines, because pilots will go to those airlines to support the constant shuffle of flying to the cheapest. If the cheapest weren't able to survive, the flying would be forced to go somewhere - either the major carrier or the more expensive regional.