Hmmmm. So, you think they're all just as good if not BETTER?! That makes me wonder about you bud. But you're certainly entitled to your opinion. I have limited experience with two other very large regionals, but enough to know that those pilot groups are full of egotistical tools and nothing like Mesa. Even the friends that I left behind in each readily admit that. The icing on the cake came from a jumpseater we had tonight stating that his pilot group (at one of the wholly-owneds) has now come to be "full of combative young pricks who think their s#!+ doesn't stink and don't show any of the mutual respect that you Mesa guys do". Too true, and no need to make anything up. So, NO, the pilot groups aren't all just as good from my experience and perspective. As for the koolaid ... it may be dumbing us down to tolerate some of the crap here but at least it hasn't turned us into a$$#0!es to fly with. That would be far worse IMO.

 

I mostly flew with grumpy lifer PHX captains so maybe my experience was different. Don't get me wrong, some/many of the guys were great at Mesa. But the few times I've jumpseated on other regionals or had other regional/mainline dudes in my JS they have mostly been just as cool. At my current airline I haven't flown with anyone who wasn't extremely easy to get along with, much more so than Mesa. I just can't believe other pilots at other regionals are that bad in comparison to Mesa. The guys I fly with now who were at other regionals have all been cool.

 

It all has to do with attitude. Very few come here so they can brag about being employed by Mesa for whatever reason (there are none). However anecdotally speaking I've seen and experienced first hand more than a few at the "better" regionals mount up on their high horses to brag about things such as pay, contract, domiciles, flow, coolest outstation layovers, best first class snacks, finest crew rooms, sluttiest FAs, and whatever else makes them feel special for choosing their current employer (more power to ya).

Most people here would rather just leave than try and make this a place to brag about in front of their peers, and that's what makes our pilot group chill and down to earth.

 

 

Not that Republic is the only one doing this, but these carriers all figure in pilots flying 1000 hours a year when boasting about their first year salary.

 

When the CEO tells the pilot group, in no uncertain terms, that there is no plan or intention to make it a better place to work, why would the pilots keep banging their heads into a brick wall? There are so many choices now, so many options of companies that are adapting to the changing environment. Other companies are showing that they value pilots. Believe them.

 

This has nothing to do with management valuing pilots. It has to do with the fact that management can't get pilots to fill the seats so they have to increase pay and better working conditions out of necessity not out of the goodness of their hearts. Trust me, the industry changes for the worst so will the benefits and pay.

 

True. But they do value pilots. Because they realize that wihout pilots, they don't have an airline. Pilots have value. That's why they are increasing pay.

 

They need pilots, true, thus the changes but management will ALWAYS pay the least they can for employees, no matter the industry. Just happens they need to pay us better now because they need us more.

 

Those of you who believe we will see a pay raise are incredibly misguided. The implosion has already begun. JO had already stated in no uncertain terms that he will not pay pilots more money. There was a small caveate to his statement "unless he has to". He still doesn't have to. We are still completing flights and departing on time. Until those factors start to decline and we can't staff those flights then you'll see some movement towards improvements. Holiday flight schedules are going to be horrifying. And, I don't even want to know what the summer of 2017 will look like.