Seniority for sale at Mesa

[Poahi]

Whose seniority?: Any 1,000 hr PIC Captain
How much?: About $80,000
Who are the buyers?: You and only you

Before you make some pensive statement about how Mesa sucks or personal attacks on its leadership (not that they aren't warranted), remember that ALPA via the MEC AGREED to this.

I am not making this up. Mesa is offering qualified Captains the option of flying for KunPeng under the same pay terms as Mesa (with a slight pay adjustment), for a period of two years. At the end of the term, you can return with no loss of seniority or longevity. My cursory estimate of the pay differential works out to about $80,000 over the two years based on KunPeng paying about $110,000 per year now. That's right, take a pay hit to keep your seniority.

It works out for Mesa becuase it is selling cheap pilots to KunPeng who is having difficulty attracting talent now, and I suppose it works for the Mesa captains who want to enjoy a 2 year tour of duty with the luxury of having a back up plan. I wonder what's in it for Mesa?

Winners/Losers?

 

[Dick Cabeza]

Before you make some pensive statement about how Mesa sucks

Well Since No One Has Said It Yet, Let Me Be The First To Say............

MESA AND J. O. S U C K!

 

[WAVIT Inbound]

Wow that's bad news! Mesa plans to be around in 2 years for these people to return to.

 

[SMOE]

Whose seniority?: Any 1,000 hr PIC Captain
How much?: About $80,000
Who are the buyers?: You and only you

Before you make some pensive statement about how Mesa sucks or personal attacks on its leadership (not that they aren't warranted), remember that ALPA via the MEC AGREED to this.

I am not making this up. Mesa is offering qualified Captains the option of flying for KunPeng under the same pay terms as Mesa (with a slight pay adjustment), for a period of two years. At the end of the term, you can return with no loss of seniority or longevity. My cursory estimate of the pay differential works out to about $80,000 over the two years based on KunPeng paying about $110,000 per year now. That's right, take a pay hit to keep your seniority.

It works out for Mesa becuase it is selling cheap pilots to KunPeng who is having difficulty attracting talent now, and I suppose it works for the Mesa captains who want to enjoy a 2 year tour of duty with the luxury of having a back up plan. I wonder what's in it for Mesa?

Winners/Losers?

My guess is JO is charging Kunpeng a finders fee that equates to the difference of what they would pay a Captain who found the job on his own?

 

[Cardinal]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but why the outrage? A pilot gets some more loot to go to China, in the meantime every pilot junior to him gets to enjoy incrementally better relative seniority for the duration that he's out of the way...what exactly is the problem?

This is the defacto arrangement taking place at my company as we shrink, folks take LOAs, end up in China, and keep their seniority when and if they return. Everybody wins.

 

[pdub20s]

Smoe!!!!

I love your avatar

 

[Box-Hauler]

Why would the 1000hr PIC pilot just not go there himself without the middleman of Mesa. Who cares if you give up your seniority. 110K a year beats the crap out of any regional pay. You can always do another tour in Asia if there still are no jobs back in the US.

What am I missing here besides it looks like Mesa has gotten into the crew leasing business?

 

[CX880]

For 80K, I could just buy a fifth of Mesa.

 

[SMOE]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but why the outrage? A pilot gets some more loot to go to China, in the meantime every pilot junior to him gets to enjoy incrementally better relative seniority for the duration that he's out of the way...what exactly is the problem?

This is the defacto arrangement taking place at my company as we shrink, folks take LOAs, end up in China, and keep their seniority when and if they return. Everybody wins.

I read it to mean they get their Mesa pay in exchange for being able to return to Mesa vice the 8k or so they would get per month otherwise. Did I misread the original post?

 

[SMOE]

I love your avatar

Addicting, isn't she? Just can't bear to let her go.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Screw Mesa, I just got word from a reliable source that they took over our crew room in CVG. MESA SUCKS!

OK now that's out of the way...
Why would anyone want to go to CHINA for the same pay they are getting staying right here in the USA? When they are paying other people 2+ times as much to go over there? Take the extra money stupid!

 

[imacdog]

And there you go, US pilots undercutting foreign pilots.

 

[pdub20s]

Addicting, isn't she? Just can't bear to let her go.

Brazillian girl???

 

[Salukipilot4590]

For 80K, I could just buy a fifth of Mesa.

Yeah but how would that taste? I'll stick to Jack or Jim.

 

[Poahi]

but why the outrage?

'Outrage' might be too strong of a term, but several of the pilots considering this don't get the idea that they are paying for their own seniority. It simply begs the question, Is 3 years of seniority at Mesa worth $80,000? That's the tradeoff. Maybe it is worth it... I really don't know. If Mesa goes through the bust to boom cycle like XJ did, maybe it is a good idea.

Doesn't it bring up the concern about companies playing with the last pillar of the pilot's lifestyle? (It used to be pay and benefits and now it's seniority). For example, what if a non union carrier offers two payscales? One with rights to keep your seniority after you leave and one that doesn't. Clearly seniority has value and it boggles the mind to think of how airlines can play games with it.

 

[Cardinal]

Alright, I see the distinction now. And yes, it's total B.S. Equal work for equal pay would be a nice place to start.

Almost forgot, Mesa sucks.

 

[dooork]

What in the hell don't you get? We have announced more furloughs....if this is something you would like to do..do it..keep your seniority and let a junior person keep thier job. Typical F.I. BS.

 

[BigLebowski]

For 80K, I could just buy a fifth of Mesa.

HAHAHAHA!!! Nice!!!

 

[jegermeister]

Brazillian girl???

no, just her hair cut.

 

[USCtrojan]

'Outrage' might be too strong of a term, but several of the pilots considering this don't get the idea that they are paying for their own seniority. It simply begs the question, Is 3 years of seniority at Mesa worth $80,000? That's the tradeoff. Maybe it is worth it... I really don't know. If Mesa goes through the bust to boom cycle like XJ did, maybe it is a good idea.

Doesn't it bring up the concern about companies playing with the last pillar of the pilot's lifestyle? (It used to be pay and benefits and now it's seniority). For example, what if a non union carrier offers two payscales? One with rights to keep your seniority after you leave and one that doesn't. Clearly seniority has value and it boggles the mind to think of how airlines can play games with it.

Poahi, a little off topic, but whatever happened to the lawsuit concerning Mesa/Aloha? I know Aloha was trying to sell the lawsuit, but I understand it got underway sometime in Oct? With a fat bond due in Feb. and a major court fine possibly in the future, it all isn't making much sense.

Trojan