Here's one XJ guy that will admit it's a crime for any Pinnacle pilot to be displaced because of Mesaba losing airplanes. And I am glad for the part where I have a job because understaffed 9E upsorbed overstaffed XJ. But why do so many XJers wish this had never happened?
First, the "108 flow through pilots" was actually an unlimited number until XJ was purchased so XJ career expectations pre merger were not only the eventual return of all furloughs, but a job at mainline as well. Also, its no gurantee that XJ would not have recieved more planes just as its not certain 9E would have kept it's 200s if it had continued to cancel flights for crews.
Second, XJ was indeed a good place to work. Most pilots liked it here, even the ones who went throught the pretend bankruptcy enjoyed their work for the most part. My impression of 9E over the last 7 years has been that they dislike their jobs, their company, and their "NMFC". Everyone has people that hate their lot in life, but 9E has one of the least happy pilot groups I have ever seen.
Third, XJ used to have a horrible training center where examiners were inconsistent and instructors would yell and bully and kick the back of your seat. But then an immense effort was undertaken to completely eliminate that culture and today the XJ training environment is outstanding. There's a general fear at XJ (hopefully unfounded) that as 9E pilots we will go back to the way it was.
Bloch did indeed screw Pinnacle on the fences, even if he meant the 9E interpretation, it was strange how he put 9E over their numbers and XJ below its. I don't know why Bloch did the list as he did but it's almost as if emotion was involved and he was pissed at 9E where it came to fences. He did at least give 9E a boost in relative seniority, though.
