Mesa vs. Trans States QOL

[Black Water Dog]

I've been reading these boards for a few weeks now, and from what I've seen about bottom feeding etc., one would think that the pay differences were huge. So I got the AirInc Salary survey, and most of the big regionals seem to be very similar in pay (Comair and SkyWest excepted). Obviously there is something here I am not seeing.

So next week is my Mesa interview, and I have an interview invitation with Trans States. Assuming I get really lucky and have a choice, how does one measure quality of life (or contract) between the two?

 

[acaTerry]

Yeah, is ANYBODY happy at TSA? I've been to tsalounge.com and it's really dismal....is it possible to be satisfied and/or happy at TSA?

 

[Beantown]

Before this thread gets out of hand I will toss in my 2 cents.

-Both are growing but TSA is much smaller therefore there upgrading on the jet is faster then at Mesa (according to a TSA js I had last week)

-Mesa has much better bases (PHX,DEN,CLT and PHL) all over the country. I think TSA only has STL and RIC.

-Both have contracts towards the bottom of the industry. I think that TSA has a few workrules that Mesa doesn't have but I don't know the specifics.

-Both are tied to US Airways and United but at least both are not tied only to US Airways or United .

The one think I can tell you about QOL here at Mesa is that it can really depend on what base you get and what airplane. Due to the differences in scheduling of each codeshare airline the lines are very different from base to base and month to month. I fly the CRJ in PHL and the lines have been fairly good the last couple months. I bid just above 40% as an FO and this month I have 14 days off (out of 28), the line has 85+ hrs and is totally commutable (no one wants to live in PHL). My QOL is quite good. At least this month.

Any way, hope this helps a little and best of luck with the interviews in the coming weeks. If you have any other questions and this thread turns into "whos got the biggest d$ck contest, feel free to PM me and I will be happy to answer them. -Bean

 

[username]

Yeah, is ANYBODY happy at TSA? I've been to tsalounge.com and it's really dismal....is it possible to be satisfied and/or happy at TSA?

Here's what's interesting about Trans States.

Our relationship with management is poor but all the rank and file seem to get along very well. We generally have a pretty good time at work despite any advesity with management. We complain a lot (after all we're airline pilots!) but we complain about management not each other.

It's a little like boot camp. Everybody bands together against the drill instructors (read management) and in the process you become a team that supports each other.

On the other hand... if you need a pat on the back for a job well done then TSA probably isn't the place for you.

 

[acaTerry]

So it is possible to be nonsuicidal at TSA.

 

[767200]

Is it possible not to be suicidal at ACA. Is your management better? Maybe. Your pilot group? not even by mistake

 

[acaTerry]

Is it possible not to be suicidal at ACA. Is your management better? Maybe. Your pilot group? not even by mistake

Say again? You're coming in broken....
I was asking an honest question in reference to things I've heard elsewhere. It was not in any way a shot at TSA.

 

[millhouse21]

I'm still doing IOE at TSA so take this with a grain of salt but I'm having a good time here. A lot of people complain about the usual stuff (schedules, mgmt, etc) but everybody I've met or flown with has been very cool. I don't regret coming here for a moment!

 

[Black Water Dog]

-Both have contracts towards the bottom of the industry. I think that TSA has a few workrules that Mesa doesn't have but I don't know the specifics.

Thanks for the rundown. The hourly salaries seem close, so the devil must be in the contract. Is there anyway to access the contracts over the web?

 

[smokey999]

Don't make your decision based on what you read here. If you go to mesalounge or tsalounge you'll hear the usual gripes. Honestly it comes down to who offers you the job and which base you like. I've got a class date at TSA and have scoured tsalounge and here lots of problems with management and what not, but the pilot group seems excellent and somewhat unified as to what they want in the future, and seem willing to fight for it. Good luck finding a pilot(or any employee for that matter) that is 100% satisfied wiith management. I'm not going to steer you away from Mesa, if your seeking advice on this board you're probably familiar with opinions regarding Mesa. Good luck

 

[cocknbull]

ACATerry, your loaded questions shows how little you know, but how much you like to be heard. I have read many of your posts, and I thought you were bigger than throwing in cheap shots in the form of a question. This person has questions in regards to Mesa and TSA; these are two airlines you don't work for. Oh ya, and since ACA is no longer a regional its a low-cost carrier why don't you go to the majors board and start bragging about your wages!

Black water dog,

-At TSA you are paid during training and you have no training contract.

-Our bases our RIC and STL

-We get paid block or better, I don't think Mesa does; so if you sit for 2 hours at ORD you don't get paid at Mesa.

-If you are called out on reserve you get paid at least 4 hours.

-If you get IOE bumped off a trip you get paid for that trip and can only be rescheduled up to your show time. Many places require you to be available the whole time of your trip.

-Yes, TSA's pay is low; although our contract is from 1999 it is very competative with the industry average today.

-Our company may be strict, but it is loyal. We have hired many furloughed American/TWA, United, and US Airways pilots without making them resign their seniority. Many of these pilots flew at TSA in years past. It is nice to know that if you make it to greener pastures your old company will be there for you in the future.

Although I can find stuff to bitch about and I consider myself more a union guy than a management guy, I am versy satisfied with TSA.

 

[Dash8301]

No self respecting pilot would ever work for MESA. So go with TSA at least they try and improve quailty of life, rather than lower the bar every time they get a new contract.

 

[acaTerry]

ACATerry, your loaded questions shows how little you know, but how much you like to be heard. I have read many of your posts, and I thought you were bigger than throwing in cheap shots in the form of a question. This person has questions in regards to Mesa and TSA; these are two airlines you don't work for. Oh ya, and since ACA is no longer a regional its a low-cost carrier why don't you go to the majors board and start bragging about your wages

CockNBull,
Settle down and please read my last post.....It was an honest question. I asked this simple set of questions to FIND SOMETHING OUT.
Read the tsalounge, it sounds like airline purgatory. From my times I've dealt with TSA pilots, I'd have never guessed it sucked so bad. After all, how can the pilots I've dealt with have such high morale if it sucked so bad at TSA? So you see, I was on a simple fact-finding mission. No cheap shots were taken, and I have nothing against TSA at all.
Too bad there is no way to type the tone of voice in these boards. You'd have seen that no malice was intended.

I'M A NICE GUY!!!!