New Hire Base And Fleet Questions
01-22-2020, 05:14 AM
#11
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Joined APC: Nov 2018
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by 2GoodEngines
Questions for current Mesa folks that have some insight:
1) Does Mesa still allow new hires to choose between the CRJ and ERJ?
2) Knowing that only the CRJ operates out of DFW, and assuming the new hire chooses that fleet, how long would it take for a new hire
starting class today (hypothetically) to hold DFW?
3) How long would a new hire expect to be on reserve (if at all) in DFW?
4) Assuming said new hire is holding DFW and upgrades, should he expect to be displaced to another base and/or sit reserve?
5) How would the fact that the 700’s in IAD are being replaced with the 175’s over the next several months impact all of the above?
6) Assuming said new hire is holding a line in DFW, and he has 7 nonstop 1 hour flights per day from his home to/from DFW (5 on Mesa,
1 on Envoy and 1 on AA), would he have a reasonable chance of commuting same day on the front and back of his rotations?
I know ALL of these questions are about things that are very fluid, so I’m just wondering what the answers would be as of today, and any pontification about how those answers might change in the next several months due to the fleet change in IAD or any other pertinent factors. I know commuting is the devil, but in my case it’s the only option (if I choose to go this route at all), so I’d like to get a legitimate expectation of how much pain I’d be committing to.
Thanks in advance for any input!
1) Does Mesa still allow new hires to choose between the CRJ and ERJ?
2) Knowing that only the CRJ operates out of DFW, and assuming the new hire chooses that fleet, how long would it take for a new hire
starting class today (hypothetically) to hold DFW?
3) How long would a new hire expect to be on reserve (if at all) in DFW?
4) Assuming said new hire is holding DFW and upgrades, should he expect to be displaced to another base and/or sit reserve?
5) How would the fact that the 700’s in IAD are being replaced with the 175’s over the next several months impact all of the above?
6) Assuming said new hire is holding a line in DFW, and he has 7 nonstop 1 hour flights per day from his home to/from DFW (5 on Mesa,
1 on Envoy and 1 on AA), would he have a reasonable chance of commuting same day on the front and back of his rotations?
I know ALL of these questions are about things that are very fluid, so I’m just wondering what the answers would be as of today, and any pontification about how those answers might change in the next several months due to the fleet change in IAD or any other pertinent factors. I know commuting is the devil, but in my case it’s the only option (if I choose to go this route at all), so I’d like to get a legitimate expectation of how much pain I’d be committing to.
Thanks in advance for any input!
I was on reserve my first month in DFW, but that was because I bid for weekends off. I got it the next month. And within about 3 months I was able to get every day I ever wanted off, including all the overnights I wanted. when it comes to bidding, especially for commuters, you can bid a schedule that has you starting late and ending early. But coming out of LBB, I think we have like a 5 AM flight that leaves there every day so commuting will be a piece of cake. And we get jumpseat priority on all Mesa flights.
So coming here right now is a bit of a gamble just because we don’t really know what IAD is gonna do to us. But absolute worst case if you want the CRJ, you’ll be in IAD for 2-3 months with no reserve time, then DFW with a month or two maybe of reserve. If you want PHX anytime soon, fuhgedaboudit.
01-22-2020, 10:29 AM
#12
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Joined APC: Jan 2020
Posts: 49
Originally Posted by jriveraaw
man all this is extremely dependent on what happens with the E175 in IAD. So they gave everyone in IAD the chance to switch aircraft from the CRJ to stay in IAD, but who knows how many are gonna choose to stay on the CRJ. If they don’t switch, then they’ll most likely all come to DFW and mess up some seniority. But currently all is well.
I was on reserve my first month in DFW, but that was because I bid for weekends off. I got it the next month. And within about 3 months I was able to get every day I ever wanted off, including all the overnights I wanted. when it comes to bidding, especially for commuters, you can bid a schedule that has you starting late and ending early. But coming out of LBB, I think we have like a 5 AM flight that leaves there every day so commuting will be a piece of cake. And we get jumpseat priority on all Mesa flights.
So coming here right now is a bit of a gamble just because we don’t really know what IAD is gonna do to us. But absolute worst case if you want the CRJ, you’ll be in IAD for 2-3 months with no reserve time, then DFW with a month or two maybe of reserve. If you want PHX anytime soon, fuhgedaboudit.
I was on reserve my first month in DFW, but that was because I bid for weekends off. I got it the next month. And within about 3 months I was able to get every day I ever wanted off, including all the overnights I wanted. when it comes to bidding, especially for commuters, you can bid a schedule that has you starting late and ending early. But coming out of LBB, I think we have like a 5 AM flight that leaves there every day so commuting will be a piece of cake. And we get jumpseat priority on all Mesa flights.
So coming here right now is a bit of a gamble just because we don’t really know what IAD is gonna do to us. But absolute worst case if you want the CRJ, you’ll be in IAD for 2-3 months with no reserve time, then DFW with a month or two maybe of reserve. If you want PHX anytime soon, fuhgedaboudit.
01-22-2020, 12:26 PM
#13
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Joined APC: Jul 2017
Position: CRJ9 CA
Posts: 4,083
I generally agree with what you have been told but I would not sweat how many take the transition in IAD to the Ejet. IAD is going to be an Ejet base and I wager it's going to be MORE than just the 20 new CRJ 700 replacement Jets. We already do a ton of 175 flying from IAD so I expect some displacement from IAH to IAD. Voluntary or not. Many people who took the Ejet in IAH did so because they knew IAD was a likely possibility down the road. As far as the CRJ guys coming over to DFW - lets say 1/3 come over - that's 20 captains and 20 FO's. We lose about 5 captains a month and a larger number of FO's out of DFW. So I think attrition will absorb these with minimal impact ON THE CRJ side. It'll have a huge impact on the Ejet. While we have enough FO's to staff SOME of the additional jets, we don't have enough for all 20 and we ESPECIALLY don't have the captains to do so. We need to get people upgraded post haste and get as many of the 55 IAD captains to take the swap as we possibly can. Not to mention the Cargo operation where we are going to need at least 10 guys on each side to get started with it. We have not out hired attrition for the last two months. Mesa needs to pony up some pay if they expect to attract and retain enough to staff the airline. While there is some reserve time in IAH and even DFW presently it's because the company WANTS reserves and manipulates the PBS requirements in order to generate as many as they can. It's NOT in any way because we are properly or even nearly properly staffed. We are short staffed and getting shorter.
Originally Posted by 2GoodEngines
Thanks for the great input! That’s pretty much what I was thinking on the IAD thing. If all the CRJ guys just swap to the 175 then really no impact, but if they don’t.... But I would think they would swap, since most of the guys there probably WANT to be there (or they would’ve already transferred), plus they get to move to a shiny new jet. But what do I know. All good info though, thanks again!
01-22-2020, 01:29 PM
#14
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Joined APC: Jan 2020
Posts: 49
Originally Posted by pangolin
I generally agree with what you have been told but I would not sweat how many take the transition in IAD to the Ejet. IAD is going to be an Ejet base and I wager it's going to be MORE than just the 20 new CRJ 700 replacement Jets. We already do a ton of 175 flying from IAD so I expect some displacement from IAH to IAD. Voluntary or not. Many people who took the Ejet in IAH did so because they knew IAD was a likely possibility down the road. As far as the CRJ guys coming over to DFW - lets say 1/3 come over - that's 20 captains and 20 FO's. We lose about 5 captains a month and a larger number of FO's out of DFW. So I think attrition will absorb these with minimal impact ON THE CRJ side. It'll have a huge impact on the Ejet. While we have enough FO's to staff SOME of the additional jets, we don't have enough for all 20 and we ESPECIALLY don't have the captains to do so. We need to get people upgraded post haste and get as many of the 55 IAD captains to take the swap as we possibly can. Not to mention the Cargo operation where we are going to need at least 10 guys on each side to get started with it. We have not out hired attrition for the last two months. Mesa needs to pony up some pay if they expect to attract and retain enough to staff the airline. While there is some reserve time in IAH and even DFW presently it's because the company WANTS reserves and manipulates the PBS requirements in order to generate as many as they can. It's NOT in any way because we are properly or even nearly properly staffed. We are short staffed and getting shorter.
01-23-2020, 06:37 PM
#16
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Joined APC: Jul 2017
Position: CRJ9 CA
Posts: 4,083
Originally Posted by yakfisher
Anyone think IAD with E175 will be a short Reserve or easy to get for new hire out of training once they begin staffing?
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