Mesa does not have fast upgrades. Tell Everyone.

[A-V-8]

I cut and pasted this from the Mesahub. Please tell everyone. In addition to this the Dash-8 operation may be suspended and the street captains may get displaced.

OK. So here’s the deal. I have been here for 2.5 years and…. Well let’s not even get into all of the things that I want to say about working here that are funny, legit, or outrageous. This my friend is a cold hard reality.

A major plus for working for a company like Mesa is the fast upgrades. J.O is always bragging to everyone how long someone has to work here before becoming captain. Pay your dues the faithful cry out.

Well I have paid my dues. 2000 hours on the Jet and no upgrade in site. “What” you say. It’s just around the corner. Should be next month or the month after that or 3 or so. Don’t worry. It’s coming because people are leaving here by the dozen. You are wrong.

I am sick of hearing it but the thing that makes me the most sick about the whole matter is the fact that new hires are coming here expecting to be captain very soon. Well for a few in the Dash-8 that is a reality but for those on the jets it is a prison sentence. Let me explain. I am on the CRJ. That means I can’t bid captain on any other equipment except the CRJ or ERJ. My seat lock is permanent except for those two captain positions. Let me reiterate. I can never move form my current position except to CRJ/ERJ captain. My dues have been paid in full and my seniority dictates that I hold captain on the Dash-8 but new hires are jumping right in front of me. I guess I have to pay my dues and theirs.

So. You say that my upgrade is just around the corner. I am very sick of hearing this and it’s really starting to make me mad. Based on WHAT? Go ahead and tell me now. What crystal ball do you have to look into because I ain’t seeing it and folks have been saying it to me for over a year? You are wrong. I pulled out the rosters yesterday to gather evidence to support my point. I was a new F.O. in PHL. Back then captains were upgrading around the 2 year mark. It was very fast. There was a captain who was displaced when I was. She was J4J. She was awarded Captain in IAD. She was the most junior CRJ captain in the whole company. Today there are 16 people below her in IAD (The most junior base) on the CRJ. For a quick review. At the time of this post that was a whopping 18 months ago. There are 79 seniority digits between her and the most junior CRJ captain today. At that rate I will have hit 5.5 year mark before I can hold captain on the CRJ. The ERJ is somewhat closer to me in seniority but who even knows what is up with that system.

I thought that it would be better to get this out in here instead of having it out with someone the next time they tell me that my upgrade is just around the corner. If you intend to say that to someone please have some facts to back it up. Furthermore. Please let this nasty little secret out of J.O. bag so that new hires will know what they are facing. Loooooooooooooooooong upgrades. No justifiable reason to put up with it unless you live in one of our domiciles. Mesa does not have fast upgrades. Blast it everywhere. It is a fact. Choke off the new hire pipeline with the truth but most importantly please stop saying it unless you have something to back it up.
Thank you for your time

Poo

If you are still in contact with your flight Instructor buddies call them and tell them please. Let the truth out. There are a lot of Mesa haters here (Flightinfo) who want this roach to die. So stomp away. Choke off the new hire pipeline with the truth.

 

[Tarzan]

Ummmmm.... Mesa sucks?

Hate for those guys but lots went there because, Yippee! I'll upgrade quick. Sike! Maybe this does add some credance to the Mesa guys wondering if they can ever get hired elsewhere......

 

[flylowman]

What about 5 years at ASA, and displaced to F.O. a year later, with 4500 hours in type. ASA sucks as well

 

[CFIfornow]

For years it's been at least 5 years to hold saab captain at Mesaba. In the last year it's gone up to 7-8 years with displacements and furloughs. Still I'd rather be here then Mesa.

 

[bustinmins]

I was hired by Mesa about 10 years ago. I took first available upgrades at every turn. Did I pay for it with quality of life? YOU BET I DID! However, when I left Mesa after 9 years and 9 months, I had been a captain all but 1.5 years. I had 8900+/- with over 4000 turbine PIC of which 3100 was Jet PIC. It was THE place to be on 9/11. No downflows and the company was growing due to the financial positions of the majors. However, today, it is a completely different story. Good luck on it all. Mesa was at least "tolerable" if you lived in base. If you commute, forget Mesa. I hear that the working conditions are getting worse and most of my friends say that the ship is sinking. The upside to this is that management might actually have to make good strides in quality of life improvements to maintain a good staff.....so long as the ship stays afloat.

Best of luck to all that are there and to those considering going to Mesa.

The people are fantastic - the company - SUCKS!