Nevets

FWIW, JA also told the XJT MEC that they would be BK in 6-9 months. And that was last April.

Its too bad you guys couldn't work some sort of seniority integration for them if that were to happen.

nigelcobalt

Nevets,

Are you suggesting that IF Mesa went bk that SkyWest pilots should somehow allow Mesa pilots who are now out of work to be 'merged' into the skywest seniority list? I am not sure why anyone would do that, maybe I am misunderstanding your statement.

iPilot

I think there's a few TWA guys who would have a differing opinion.

Nevets

The recycling of pilots is one of the main problems we have in this profession. If this could somehow be mitigated, it would reduce the ability to whipsaw. If airline ABC gets aircraft from airline XYZ, then it would be best for our profession if the pilots of airline ABC can negotiate a SLI of the pilots of airline XYZ that bid to come over with the aircraft, assuming there are vacancies. Just like the ASA pilots have negotiated such language in their contract for Skywest pilots.

nigelcobalt

Well I agree that the current system sucks. (I would love to see a national seniority list.) But you are assuming SkyWest would get ALL of the Mesa flying (which they wouldn't). So if everybody who got old 'Mesa flying' would be willing to integrate an ex-mesa pilot into their seniority list it might be a good start, but to be honest I don't see that happening. But if it did happen, it would be the best thing Mesa ever did.

Nevets

This wouldn't be a national senioity list. This would just be a SLI. And it doesn't matter if SKW or whoever got just some of Mesa's aircraft. If they just got 30 aircraft for example, there may be up to 300 vacancies for those aircraft. You would put the vacancies that SKW couldn't fill with their own pilots up for bid to the Mesa pilots. The pilots awarded the vacancies would be integrated into the SKW seniority list. This exactly what the ASA pilots' contract provides for SKW pilots. The template is already there. Also, ALPA is already working on this very thing with all other 13 ALPA regional pilot groups. XJT and Comair had an agreement in principle for such language and the Canadian ALPA regional pilots already do this. It has also been done in the past between Mesaba and Pinnacle. This is nothing new.

rickair7777

You have got to be kidding me!

I gave up a couple years seniority to preserve my dignity, self-respect, and QOL...and now you want me turn around and give up seniority to those who didn't make the jump? They played their hand, I played mine...and the spineless ones actually made it possible for JO to do what he does best.

That is borderline flame bait.

A national system would be fine...but it's like insurance...you have to buy into BEFORE your house burns down.

nigelcobalt

Nevets,

You just have to ask yourself if you would be willing to do that at your airline. The other problem is why should it start here and now? I myself would be really upset if we gained some flying because airline x went bk and then all of the pilots came to my airline and knocked me down in seniority. That is not reality. What is reality is that all of us knew what we were getting into to some degree. If you claim you didn't know how bad of a company it was, then you are at fault yourself for not researching the company before you were hired there. If you did know and you went there, then you knew the risk and lost. Exactly what Rick said.

dontsurf

been watching a lot of old westerns on tv or something?

iPilot

I suppose a good counter-argument to a SLI is that unlike many of the other companies that go under, pilots at Mesa have seen this coming for years. Those that had have moved on even at the expense of seniority or got their time and moved up. Those that are left, IMO are there solely to get ahead by using the quick upgrades. People who play that kind of gamble with their career should accept defeat if Mesa goes BK.

I think a decent compromise is to give preferential hiring to ex-mesa pilots after the companies gone but perhaps a straight SLI is a bit too generous.