Mesa? Can someone please explain...

[CRJ200]

....so I was happy that I recvd a call back from Mesa to interview with them recently and I was doing research as what to expect on the interview @ aviationinterveiws.com and reading about their history ....what's the deal with paying $50 for the interview?

And now I just read this post, and am kinda not wanting to go to interview now. I really don't know the situation with Freedom Air that everyone is talking about...All I'm hearing is bad things about a contract that they took, is bad.

So should I avoid the interview and apply elsewhere?

 

[killbilly]

I said that one time about pilots one time and am still sore from the lashing I took. Good to see someone else noticed it as well.

You weren't the only one.

 

[meritflyer]

Every airline has baggage attached. I think you'll be fine. Doesnt seem like any of the majors have any real problems with Mesa (like Comair) so your outlook to progress should be okay. Also, I hear their RJ upgrade time is somewhere around 1.5-2 years. Cant beat that.

 

[Seggy]

Every airline has baggage attached. I think you'll be fine. Doesnt seem like any of the majors have any real problems with Mesa (like Comair) so your outlook to progress should be okay. Also, I hear their RJ upgrade time is somewhere around 1.5-2 years. Cant beat that.

My company had year upgrades on the Beech 1900 the day I was hired. Been here almost a year and a half and not sure IF I will upgrade on the Beech.

Upgrade time changes, go to a place that if you get stuck at, you can stay there for a while.

 

[zmiller4]

Also, I hear their RJ upgrade time is somewhere around 1.5-2 years. Cant beat that.

Sure you can. At the rate things are going, I'll have the opportunity to upgrade at Skywest (in the RJ) at a little under a year and a half (which I won't do). A friend of mine who was a july 2005 hire was awarded captain a few weeks ago, and he's got plenty of captains underneath him already. If you really want a quick upgrade, why not at least go with a company that pays OK and doesn't screw the crap out of you at every turn?

 

[mrivc211]

Personally, I highly dislike Mesa Airlines. I really dislike what they are doing to Aloha and Hawaiian out on the islands right now. That was just the icing on the cake for me in regards to my animosity for Mesa. I think their CEO is a scumbag, and the whole management team is worthless.

That said, I have absolutely nothing against their pilots. I know they got a raw deal in terms of their contract, and it is a shame the company will not honor it. I would never deny them the jumpseat. I even say hi to them in the terminal. We will probably all be working for the same airlines some day anyways, why hate on fellow pilots?

I will say some of them need to take a bit more pride in their uniform, but that is not just a Mesa issue... that really is an industry-wide problem.

Pretty much word for word my feelings on the issue.

 

[EDUC8-or]

I hate on all pilots, especially the guys/gals at my airline. All pilots are dumb jerks.

 

[woodreau]

Also, I hear their RJ upgrade time is somewhere around 1.5-2 years. Cant beat that.

Please stop spreading this - it's not true and it continues to draw in the unsuspecting newhires. RJ upgrade at Mesa is more like 4 years. Eagle has a faster upgrade than Mesa. The FOs hired in 2003 are still FOs.

 

[nwa757]

Here is the scoop.

CRJ200: Interview elsewhere. The quality regionals have some of the best upgrades right now. Mesa's growth has come to a grinding halt. The upgrade on the jet (which most people are seat locked on) is 2.5+ years. No joke.

FOs are leaving at alarming rates for greener pastures. Everthing is greener.

JO and Mesa Management are probably the worst in the country. He has a philosophy that if there are still 'pilot resumes on my desk' then we don't need to raise the bar. By avoiding the airline you can help the cause to keep the hiring pool DRY.

Airline pilots deserve respect and that airline loves to drive morale through the ground so people don't take care of their uniforms, people don't think they are worth a better contract and people don't try to give good customer service.

Meritflyer- be careful about posting false info. The upgrade is no where near 1.5 years. Mesa's problems are far worse than any other regionals. You can't say that until you have been there.

The place is not worth it. CRJ200, wait it out a couple months/weeks and you will get on with a regional that will treat you they way you deserve to be treated. You will learn that schedules/pay are far more important than who will hire you first. The contract at Mesa is worth nothing and you will be working A LOT harder for less. With no duty/trip rigs they will work you on a 16 hour day and get paid maybe 2 or 3 hours. It's bologna.

Thanks for listening. If you take my advice (and the advice of the 1800 (and decreasing) pilots at Mesa/Freedom/Air Midwest) you will thank us later. I promise.

 

[Mavmb]

Mesa is often blamed for lowering the pay and working conditions for pilots in the industry, and that is true that they have been succesfull doing that to a certain extent. Mesa does not pay their pilots for wx or mx cancels, and the pilots can work up to 16 hours a day. After 16 hours, the pilot can be assigned part 91 flying. The pilot can call fatigue and refusing flying after 16 hours, but that pilot will speak to a chief pilot and an occurence will be noted. Mesa pilots also get the min 8 hours of rest of course. About an hour and half to two hours of the 8 rest period may be spent waiting to get a hotel room.

 

[FlyChicaga]

...the pilots can work up to 16 hours a day. After 16 hours, the pilot can be assigned part 91 flying. The pilot can call fatigue and refusing flying after 16 hours, but that pilot will speak to a chief pilot and an occurence will be noted. Mesa pilots also get the min 8 hours of rest of course. About an hour and half to two hours of the 8 rest period may be spent waiting to get a hotel room.

That applies to pretty much every regional airline, except for the carpet dance part. You might get by without one of those. Heck, that applies to most majors as well.

I think the way management treats their employees and their lack of following the contract (open grievances) is more indicative of the downsides to Mesa, rather than FAR duty/rest legality issues that we all deal with.

 

[meritflyer]

Here is the scoop.

CRJ200: Interview elsewhere. The quality regionals have some of the best upgrades right now. Mesa's growth has come to a grinding halt. The upgrade on the jet (which most people are seat locked on) is 2.5+ years. No joke.

FOs are leaving at alarming rates for greener pastures. Everthing is greener.

JO and Mesa Management are probably the worst in the country. He has a philosophy that if there are still 'pilot resumes on my desk' then we don't need to raise the bar. By avoiding the airline you can help the cause to keep the hiring pool DRY.

Airline pilots deserve respect and that airline loves to drive morale through the ground so people don't take care of their uniforms, people don't think they are worth a better contract and people don't try to give good customer service.

Meritflyer- be careful about posting false info. The upgrade is no where near 1.5 years. Mesa's problems are far worse than any other regionals. You can't say that until you have been there.

The place is not worth it. CRJ200, wait it out a couple months/weeks and you will get on with a regional that will treat you they way you deserve to be treated. You will learn that schedules/pay are far more important than who will hire you first. The contract at Mesa is worth nothing and you will be working A LOT harder for less. With no duty/trip rigs they will work you on a 16 hour day and get paid maybe 2 or 3 hours. It's bologna.

Thanks for listening. If you take my advice (and the advice of the 1800 (and decreasing) pilots at Mesa/Freedom/Air Midwest) you will thank us later. I promise.

I have no loyalty to Mesa whatsoever but havent you obviously have a personal issue with them as your posts suggest.

The 1.5 year upgrade time was told to a class that started around 3 weeks ago. I have several friends in it.

The pay at Mesa still rivals Pinnacle, TSA, and every non-jet regional.

 

[jtrain609]

Yeah but have you ever taken a look at the work rules?

 

[Seggy]

Yeah but have you ever taken a look at the work rules?

Who cares as long as I get to fly a jet!!!!!!!

Sat next to an ORD based captain one day going from CLT-ORD when I was seeing my ex. Had a nice conversation with the guy. I felt REALLY REALLY REALLY bad for him when he started to describe their work rules.


And you want to talk about something VERY VERY scary? That they are going to be flying in China. What happens if/when they get Chinese nationals on their operating certificate as pilots? Guess what folks, they COULD come here and undercut us ALL with the wages they would be willing to be paid to fly these planes over here.

JO = A very, very, very bad person, something needs to be done to stop him, or else we will all be looking for new careers.

 

[zmiller4]

JO = A very, very, very bad person, something needs to be done to stop him, or else we will all be looking for new careers.

I'm not overly concerned about Mesa ruining the industy. They haven't got any major new flying in a while other than their BS Hawaii stuff, and what they have gotten (like the Dash 8 flying out of NYC) it sounds like they've royally <messed> up. Like Bob said in the other thread, low pay doesn't necessarily mean low cost. If everybody hates flying your regional because they cancel flights all the time and lose bags, then they aren't going to fly you very much. I think (hope) Mesa's horrid performance is starting to really change the way people look at them.

 

[meritflyer]

What IF sky falls in tonight?

 

[meritflyer]

I think (hope) Mesa's horrid performance is starting to really change the way people look at them.

For carriers utilizing them, it all comes down to the all mighty dollar.

 

[zmiller4]

For carriers utilizing them, it all comes down to the all mighty dollar.

You do realize that for every cancelled flight, diversion, return to the gate, lost bag, it costs them a *ton* of money?

(That was the point of my post...the initial lowest bidder, if they suck at actually doing the job, may not be the cheapest option)

 

[meritflyer]

(That was the point of my post...the initial lowest bidder, if they suck at actually doing the job, may not be the cheapest option)

Agree 100%. There is a very distinct difference in business when you discuss what the price is vs. what the cost is.

 

[BobDDuck]

The 1.5 year upgrade time was told to a class that started around 3 weeks ago. I have several friends in it.

Training departments will say just about anything to keep new hires around. I was told that upgrade would be about 2-3 years when I started here. I'm approaching year 2 and it is 5.5 years and growing with no growth of any kind in sight. And you want to know the funny thing? They are STILL telling new hires it will be less then 2 years.