We're barely hiring to cover attrition right now, and I really, really don't think we're going to make it to 18 additional EJets. The possibility of taking on more than that is patently absurd.

The growth curve is stalling out, and attrition is picking up from both seats--you can't grow if you're only hiring enough "passable" folks to cover attrition.

We're basically in a "hamster wheel"/stuck in a rut mode right now in terms of staffing vs. attrition--I'll gladly bet money we'll end up delaying or cancelling a handful of those additional 18 EJets before the summer hiring season at the legacies/LCCs is over.

And if Endeavor gets EJets (which all indicators are pointing towards) it's going to become that much more difficult for Mesa to recruit and retain even the most rabid, SJS-infected souls--even the ones born and raised in Houston. $50k/year 1st year vs. $22/hour 1st year to fly that shiny Electric Jet? The old guys will just buy tickets to JFK/DTW/MSP with all that extra money.

Don't get me wrong--I don't want Mesa to falter or fail to staff--I don't want us to shrink, b/c that would be bad for my QOL/finances. But every single one of our additional 18 EJets is going to be exponentially harder and more expensive to staff than the previous delivery--that's just the facts of the current hiring environment/talent pool.

You'll know if we're going to make it to 18 by around August-October 2016. Come back to this post then and you'll see if I'm right or not.

 

Hard to believe as it is, but we are still hiring more than are leaving. You'll know when hiring isn't doing well when Mesa increases the hiring bonuses for the new hires.

 

The TA that was voted down last time, what were the improvements in it?

 

Does it matter? It got voted down.

 

A 0.1% raise for FOs which would have us earning 60% of what non union SKW pilots get.

 

If it makes you feel better, my friend at Envoy spent the last 4.5 to 5 years on reserve, as a commuter, flying less than you.

 

It just gives me an idea of what the company was willing to give

 

Not a penny more than is required to stay in business, which is the goal of any for profit company.

 

I don't know if it makes me feel better, but it certainly makes me feel for him.
I guess I'm just concerned that my seniority range in DFW had been treading water for 4 months now; moving up seniorty-wise and staying the same distance from holding a line.
Makes me feel like there's no hope, especially with supposedly many people coming in underneath me with overflowing new-hire classes yet no actual sign of moving up the rung, all for the worst pay in the business (even playing field when I started last year).
Feel like it's worth it to move on, yet also feel it's worth it to stick around and not make lateral moves; to get my 1000 and either upgrade or move right seat to bigger right seat..

 

Took me 11 months to hold a line in DFW. It's nothing new, the recruiters just lied to you.