Did the Mesa CEO Really Say This....

[NatureCalls]

I have heard from several people that Jon Ornstein really said...

"Pilots paychecks are too high at Mesa. Because as long as pilots keep applying, were paying too much. Once people stop accepting positions here, that's when we'll know the pay is just right."

Is it true?

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Am i reading that wrong? LOL
It doesn't make sense.

 

[bvt1151]

The guy's an idiot, but he's actually got a point on this one. If someone else is willing to do it for less, you paid too much. Sure, the pilots suck, but the public doesn't know that, and there's been zero news on RJ's crashed by low-time pilots.

This is why we have a union. Too bad it's not doing what its supposed to.

 

[NatureCalls]

Am i reading that wrong? LOL
It doesn't make sense.

I work for Southwest!

 

[LearLove]

I have heard from several people that Jon Ornstein really said...

"Pilots paychecks are too high at Mesa. Because as long as pilots keep applying, were paying too much. Once people stop accepting positions here, that's when we'll know the pay is just right."

Is it true?

rumor has it - YES, I was told a similar version and that he said it to one of the first Mesa J4J classes (furloughed U guys) in 2003 or there about.

 

[T-prop]

You can also quote him saying, "if you [pilots] stay longer than 2 years, you are costing me money."

 

[BIGGOAT]

Mesa pilots, are you in contract negotiations with mgt?

Goat

 

[flyf15]

Maybe he missed the memo on this. The regional airline industry IS at this point. Regionals can't find pilots anymore that will work for the wages they're paying. Pilots ARE stopping to accept positions.... they have better choices elsewhere.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Sorry, venturing away from Mesa just a tad, but... We had a recent meeting at my airline between the president and the pilot group. During a Q and A session, one of the junior first officers commented about how low the pilot pay is. Our company president responded "If you want to make more money, then UPGRADE. If you still want more money, fly some overtime"

These beancounter managers just don't get it.

 

[eaglefly]

Ornstein's a self-centered capitalist. He acts in his own best interest, not yours. Never forget that and you'll always see him for what he is.

My advice is not to use him in your career persuit. If you erronously choose to, ditch him at the first opportunity.

 

[Soverytired]

It's apocryphal, most likely, but wouldn't really surprise me.

He has supposedly bragged about the large piles of resumes Mesa gets . . . and therefore must be an ok airline, right? And if you don't like working here, he suggests you leave . . . . for your own happiness, of course!

(unfortunately for him, too many pilots are taking that advice in too large of numbers right now)


In any case, anything he does say never really comes back to bite him . . . because he was "misunderstood". If it's not in the contract, it never happened, and if it is in the contract, you agreed to it.


**note: eaglefly, that's some excellent advice.

 

[labbats]

If all regionals are begging for people, then how does G0jets and Mesa hire anyone? I just don't understand it.

If I was starting over, I'm certain I would use the internet and find sites like this one and airlinepilotpay.com and learn that they are dirtbag operations.

 

[EMB170Pilot]

Just F his daughter and get her pregant and your in!

 

[MINIME]

Thats right, no real pilot shortage until people completely stop applying at Mesa and any Hulas owned airline. Especially that alter-ego airline of his.

 

[BOOMER2]

I spoke to "someone" that said they didn't have to interview at Mesa because the class numbers were low. Mesa called and asked when they could be there the following week. Has anyone else heard this?

Didn't Mesa use to charge to interview? BTW, Pinnacle is hiring 200 hour pilots. Supply and demand.

 

[ttuite]

Sorry, venturing away from Mesa just a tad, but... We had a recent meeting at my airline between the president and the pilot group. During a Q and A session, one of the junior first officers commented about how low the pilot pay is. Our company president responded "If you want to make more money, then UPGRADE. If you still want more money, fly some overtime"

These beancounter managers just don't get it.

I am not trying to pick a fight with you so please do take what I write as an attack on you. I sure get weary of all of the whining and complaining about the pay. Go back 10 short years. Pilots with 3,000 hours PAID for their training to get a job with very little work rules that paid about 2/3 of what you make. They flew turboprops with no autopilots into mostly uncontrolled fields. All for the promise of the big paying job at the Majors. Some got the job in and around 1999 - 2000 and were furloughed in 2001. They have all the right in the world to be bitching and moaning but the funny thing is, most of them never say a word. Maybe it is some of us who don't "get it" this is a business and you are a liability not an asset. Even at Southwest pilots are liabilities. Just a whole lot closer to an asset than most commuter pilots. If you can negotiate more pay then great, if you cannot, live with it or quit. Life is too short to be so unhappy in your job.

 

[WSurf]

I have heard from several people that Jon Ornstein really said...

"Pilots paychecks are too high at Mesa. Because as long as pilots keep applying, were paying too much. Once people stop accepting positions here, that's when we'll know the pay is just right."

Is it true?

That was Close,

He said it seems that he was paying his pilots too much, because he could fill up a new hire class each month!!

Hopefully he can't anymore!!!!!!

 

[deadstick]

I remember WAY back in 1993 when I got my CPL. One day my CFI's ol' buddy dropped in to say "Hi.". He was the Ace-of-the-Base and everybody liked him. He had finally got a job with a commuter (I think it was scheduled 135 back then) with about 3000TT.

I believe it was Great Lakes.

ttuite brings back another dark chapter in commercial aviation: PFT. "Welcome aboard!! Your class date is next Monday. We take Master Card and Visa...(at 20%)"

I remember year ago there were very heated discussions on this board about Gulfstream and their M.O. My thing was (as was the argument of many other) that the utter lack of experience in the right seat left the 1900D CA flying single pilot. The volleys would continue for pages and pages.

And look where we are today. Thankfully, the situation will not let PFT enter into the equation (although some of these training contracts are expensive), but the 250/25 at TSA is scary. In 2001 it was 500/100, and I thought it would never go lower.

Now somebody is bound to mention the military or ab initio programs that place new pilots in jets. Don't go there. This is different. There is no standardization. The military puts people through on Uncle Sugar's nickel. You don't cut it, pack your bags. The commercial schools are there to make money and have a vested interest in people "passing" and to keep taking in money.

This is a rare time in this industry. Pilots have the opportunity to raise the bar and point the profession back in the right direction. ALPA should be sending associate membership forms to every newly licensed commercial pilot. If pilots keep the bar high, places like Go-Mesa will go away. For now, I just wish pilots would exit “the killing zone” before getting in the front of an RJ.

---END---

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Has "Special" Ed Davidson's (former Director of Flight Ops at XJ {may he be now frying in Dubai}) kid taken a job for free yet, Like Ed claimed he would?
After all this kid supposedly would be glad to fly for free.... D0cuhe bags...

 

[jetjock6]

I remember WAY back in 1993 when I got my CPL. One day my CFI's ol' buddy dropped in to say "Hi.". He was the Ace-of-the-Base and everybody liked him. He had finally got a job with a commuter (I think it was scheduled 135 back then) with about 3000TT.

I believe it was Great Lakes.

ttuite brings back another dark chapter in commercial aviation: PFT. "Welcome aboard!! Your class date is next Monday. We take Master Card and Visa...(at 20%)"

I remember those days well. When I started in 90 the CFI's at the local FBO couldn't wait to get that magic 1200 and 200 so they could apply for the opportunity to pay ten grand for a job flying a Metro for twelve bucks an hour. Times sure have changed.