Originally Posted by tinman1

Everyone's situation is different, but me personally I'd defer to the January class. Anyone hired today or in the near future won't see an upgrade for quite some time unless we get more flying or attrition gets crazy high. Twenty numbers most likely won't mean life death so go enjoy one last holiday with your family. This job just isn't worth it IMO.

Originally Posted by tunes

does mesa really not give you holidays off in training?

Originally Posted by flapshalfspeed

You're insane if you skip a class date for two holiday days off.

If you really want to be an airline pilot, and intend on spending more than a year in this job, you need to get your priorities straight and train your family to never expect you to be home on a holiday (or any specific day for that matter). It's better to be upfront about things ilke this, and to set a realistic level of expectation with your loved ones before you even start groundschool--it'll save your marriage, relationships, and mental health if you just clear that up for yourself and your family NOW.

20 numbers of seniority can (and often does) mean:

1) Having a job vs. being furloughed for 8 years
2) Being stuck as a CA for 8 years vs. being stuck as an FO for 8 years
3) Holding a line for 8 years vs. being on reserve for 8 years
4) Commuting for 8 years vs. being based where you live for 8 years
5) Having the experience to get hired at a legacy 8+ years earlier than the guy a class behind you who missed upgrade/got furloughed
6) Having more money and better QOL over the next three decades of your life because of all of the above and more.

If I had been ONE class earlier when I was hired at Mesa, I would've been a CA 3-6 months earlier, and I would've been a lineholder roughly a year earlier--that's a lot of coin to give up just for a couple of days at home, and you'll probably be too anxious about groundschool to relax and enjoy your holidays off anyways.

Long story short--SENIORITY IS EVERYTHING. Buck up and take the earlier class date--there's a chance you'll still get one or both of those holidays off (check airmen/instructors aren't known for liking to work on holidays). And anyone in your life who can't handle you missing the holidays is going to be a problem in your pursuit of this profession in the future anyways--get it out now don't put a bandaid on it.

Originally Posted by sevenforseven

Put your big boy pants on and get used to it. Just wait until you spend Thanksgiving day eating some crappy Subway sandwich in the airport terminal. I remember when Thanksgiving "dinner" offered by the airline for the crewmembers was a microwavable cup of mac and cheese with a bag of mixed nuts and a soft drink.

We've all paid our dues; welcome to the airlines.

Originally Posted by flapshalfspeed

How long have you been in this industry?

Obviously not long with that kind of mindset.

Here's something to ponder tinman: if he's 20 numbers higher on the list, for the rest of his career at Mesa, he's going to have a higher likelihood of holding xmas/NYE off--or holding a vacation slot on those days--for the REST OF HIS CAREER here.

So, by your logic, taking a guaranteed xmas & NYE off now is worth sacrificing an increased likelihood of xmas/NYE off every year for the rest of his career here, an increased likelihood he won't be furloughed, an increased likelihood he'll get to upgrade while the class after him is stuck as FOs, an increased likelihood he'll get better vacation weeks, an increased likelihood he'll get the training dates he wants for recurrent every single year, and--for the rest of his career here--hitting the next year of pay longevity a month earlier every year.

If you really think 2 friggin' days is worth all of the above shifts in probabilities, you probably shouldn't be an airline pilot either.

No holiday with the fam I've ever had was worth 20 slots of seniority--ever--even when I was dating ungodly hot college women and having play time with them in their parents' house while their parents were out shopping/working.

Anyone who thinks 20 spots on a 1,000-pilot seniority list is worth two piddly holidays off has no idea what they're even saying.

Originally Posted by Snickers

I think you should know a little more about tunes before you tell him which pants to wear. His point was that's pretty pathetic on Mesa's part and you didn't exactly make the company look better.

Originally Posted by Auzzie

I'm in the December 18th class and looks like class we go right through the holidays. Debating on moving it back to January now.

What do you guys think? Training through Christmas and New Years or take some time off and start in January?

Originally Posted by sevenforseven

Put your big boy pants on and get used to it. Just wait until you spend Thanksgiving day eating some crappy Subway sandwich in the airport terminal. I remember when Thanksgiving "dinner" offered by the airline for the crewmembers was a microwavable cup of mac and cheese with a bag of mixed nuts and a soft drink.

We've all paid our dues; welcome to the airlines.

Originally Posted by prior121

Wrong.. how long have you been doing this job?

Clearly not long enough.