Yes they do... and they're taking it seriously. The new hire has to send a letter to their former HR and XJ will follow up.

 

Cybourg,

There are many rational answers to your questions but I'm not sure any will make you feel better. The one big one for me is the Anderson factor. It is no secret that R. Anderson knows Mesaba and probably has personal financial interest in Mesaba or knows people VERY close to him that does. He is much closer to the people at Mesaba with regard to relationships than he ever will be with Comair. I can't answer why Comair got the planes and lost them outside of the fact that they did.

The Pinnacle deal makes total sense. You already have airplanes dressed in Delta colors. Why make them wait for brand new ones over the next "x" months when you can wait until the deal is done and deliver the new birds appropriately.

You have fair questions while simply retreating from the past beatings but what we are seeing is FAR from past practices. If all of what they are doing and what we know so far is just for more lines on current aircraft, it's the biggest unnecessary snow job in recent memory and that goes back pretty far.

Also, what we are seeing right now in terms of hiring is NOT general staffing; it's preparing. There is a big difference. I know the situation you speak of well but this is not the same.

 

Comair "had" the Freedom planes for a short time because Comair decided they didn't want to spend the $$$ to operate planes on a temporary basis. Perhaps it was Comairs fault for announcing something that wasn't fully disclosed or thought out.

 

For the last time I am not trying to say that Mesaba will not get the new a/c so stop trying to argue that point. I think they will end up with more airplanes and a new base (which requires more reserves) and that is why I think they are hiring more pilots. My only arguement was when people come on here and say the hiring increase is PROOF that Mesaba is getting the aircraft. There is still no proof Xj is getting any new airplanes, that is the only point I am trying to make, nor I am rooting against XJ to get them. I actually have an interview with XJ later this month hence the only reason I am on the board and reading what is going on. I don't want to be like the new hire Comair guys that were hired to fly aircraft that never showed up, it is a valid comparision, not an exact mirror image of what is going on at XJ but it is a valid point to make I believe. You can come up with as many talking points you want to back your beliefs but based on history I know that airlines are historically very bad at predicting staffing levels. More planes at XJ sounds good and you can hope you're going to get them but lets not say the current hiring level is proof of anything.

 

Yes. About 3 or 4 days prior to class I received an e-mail from Mesaba HR with a surrender seniority letter as an attachment. It had blanks for you to fill in your name, company, and HR contacts at your current company. You had to respond to the e-mail saying that you understand, and on the first day of class they collect the completed form within the first 5-10 min. They are serious! What airline are you comming from that you would want to go back to? I e-mailed my union rep and he said that my company would more then likely disreguard these leters, as they did after their 9/11 furlough.

 

Mesaba HR will follow up with the company to make sure that the number is surrendered. If you dont want to give up your seniority number elsewhere, dont come to XJ. Give someone else a chance who is serious about working here.

 

Why would a company disregard a letter of resignation? At what point do you think they'd take it seriously? Here's something serious: don't waste our time and resources if you're not serious about Mesaba. There are too many people out there that want the job and are serious about it. Don't spoil it for those people.

 

Agreed.

 

Didn't mean to test your patience. It is valid only by perception and not so much by industry rationale with all variables examined on this particular situation.

I hope you do join Mesaba as it is a good place to be now and the foreseeable future.

 

Ditto, I agree with you. I'm one of those Comair poolies and, 'til I actually get to sit in a plane with Mesaba, I'm prepared for the worst and am skeptical by nature. I'm just hoping for the best that XJ is indeed hiring for valid reasons and not "potential" planes.