Mesaba vs. Pinnacle

[Detroitpilot22]

Ok I am now lucky enough to have 2 interviews, One with Mesaba and One with Pinnacle, both who I think would be good companies to start my career with.
I would open this up for pilots from both places to say what they like or dislike about their jobs.
Thanks

 

[labbats]

Go directly to Northwest, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

 

[787]

With the recent 10 ASA with NWA...XJ is the right choice. 9E still has certificate & insurance issues. Real down side is if NWA goes bankrupt, or the mech's strike. What other irons do you have in the fire? Cargo?

 

[Rook]

Go to 9E then go to XJ and tell everyone how lucky you are for making it out alive.

 

[PCL_128]

Go to XJ and never look back.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Go to XJ and never look back.

Agreed. Look at benefits, insurance, pay, work rules, soft time etc... If you need contracts PM me....

 

[MVSW]

Ok I am now lucky enough to have 2 interviews, One with Mesaba and One with Pinnacle, both who I think would be good companies to start my career with.
I would open this up for pilots from both places to say what they like or dislike about their jobs.
Thanks

I would pick Mesaba over Pinnacle. The reason I say this is b/c Mesaba is getting like 35 RJ's. Pinnacle I think is getting their last RJ in AUG.

 

[Detroitpilot22]

crj

are they getting all 35, cause i thought they were only getting 15 at first, with the option for 20 more

 

[405]

go to 9E. you'll be bitter in the end.

 

[Detroitpilot22]

wow

wow, thats deep

 

[Rook]

are they getting all 35, cause i thought they were only getting 15 at first, with the option for 20 more

You gotta read between the lines my friend. Those 'options' will be XJ's. Deservedly so.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

I'm not really holding my breath for those other 20 for the time being. The situation get kinda cloudy when mainline "potentially" seeks bankruptcy protection. But I certainly hope that XJ won't be happy with just 15.

 

[Detroitpilot22]

nwa

what would happen if NWA went bankrupt? Would xj and 9e be totally screwed or would they continue to fly their routes?

 

[labbats]

what would happen if NWA went bankrupt? Would xj and 9e be totally screwed or would they continue to fly their routes?

Ever hear of United?

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Nah, we'll keep flying. Labbats is right. Both US Air and United have been operating under bankruptcy protection for years. Their respective feeders/regionals are still flying for them to this day. No worries...

 

[Lear70]

Mesaba has its own issues, but you'll get better seniority and better chances for advancement there since they're just at the beginning of their hiring curve.

Pinnacle will come out with better pay once it's all said and done and hopefully equal work rules, but it will be a long, bloody battle and you'll be stuck at the bottom of a list with SH*T work rules and you don't want to go there.

NWA will most definitely file for bankruptcy protection soon, more than likely before the year is out. When that happens, they have the option to renegotiate their contracts with XJ and 9E, and 9E management will be playing that for all its worth in negotiations, so it's bound to get ugly. That said, I truly don't believe they'll get rid of either carrier, it would cost WAY too much to shift all those aircraft around, just doesn't make sense.

Good luck!

 

[DoinTime]

You gotta read between the lines my friend. Those 'options' will be XJ's. Deservedly so.

Especially if Mesaba management agrees to fly the additional 20 at the same 3% profit margin they agreed to operate the first 15 on. I think we have officially moved beyond the point where not only regional airline employees agree to drop their pants to secure additional flying but now management is doing it as well.

 

[flap operator]

Hey Chief,

Did Uncle Phil tell you about that 3% stuff in the "Mesaba is the enemy" video? Seriously, where did you hear about the 3% margin stuff? AFAIK the new ASA is not signed and definitely not public yet. Even before this ASA Mesaba has got the worst margin in the biz, thanks to NWA and the yes men mgmt that Mesaba has. Mesaba has to pay for so much more than most regionals, the profit margin is rediculously low, compared to say Chaniqua.


FO

 

[DoinTime]

FO....you know where all my Mesaba insider info comes from.

 

[kmox29]

Especially if Mesaba management agrees to fly the additional 20 at the same 3% profit margin they agreed to operate the first 15 on. I think we have officially moved beyond the point where not only regional airline employees agree to drop their pants to secure additional flying but now management is doing it as well.

Seriously, are we now getting into who's management sluts out the best? I have to laugh if anyone at either XJ or 9E is actually interested or cares about what ASA was signed and for how much. The only thing us red headed step children should care about right now is 9E's contract progress (or lack thereof) and supporting the 9E pilots 110%.

 

[PCL_128]

Seriously, are we now getting into who's management sluts out the best? I have to laugh if anyone at either XJ or 9E is actually interested or cares about what ASA was signed and for how much. The only thing us red headed step children should care about right now is 9E's contract progress (or lack thereof) and supporting the 9E pilots 110%.

I'm glad somebody gets it. Am I really supposed to care if XJ's profit margin is 3% or 30% with these new planes? You guys finally got some growth, and that's all that really matters. Let management worry about the margins, that's none of our concern. I just fly airplanes and collect a paycheck.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Nah, we'll keep flying. Labbats is right. Both US Air and United have been operating under bankruptcy protection for years. Their respective feeders/regionals are still flying for them to this day. No worries...

Except for the slashed pay and work rules! No worries!

 

[dondk]

Look at how many 9E guys are saying go to XJ... That should be enough of a clue.

I don't see any XJ guys saying go to 9E, that should be a clue too.

It is good to see XJ getting 15, they better get the 20 on top of that too. I can understand why they are hesitant, NWA does the whipsawing better than anyone else.

Take XJ, you will not regret it

 

[Detroitpilot22]

thanks for all of your informative comments.
All of this stuff seems petty right now considering what just happened in london

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Except for the slashed pay and work rules! No worries!

Yeah, no worries for the regionals. Mainline guys/gals are the ones takin' in the shorts, unfortunately. I don't see the regionals takin' the slash in work rules and pay cuts, unless its on their own unions accord.

 

[noslonlo]

Mesaba newhires based where?

Where can a newhire at Mesaba expect to be based?

 

[Avro Man]

Where can a newhire at Mesaba expect to be based?

On the Avro you will start out in MEM, possible to get CVG before leaving training, DTW within a couple months, MSP in a year plus. However it seems that a larger portion of the last few classes have been from Michigan and looking to go to DTW so it could start swinging more senior (see note at bottom).

On the CRJ you will get MSP because it's the only choice, at least for now.

On the Saab you could get either DTW or MEM from day one and MSP after several months.

Captain upgrade into the Saab is currently at 5 years, though that should decrease with the CRJ deliveries.

Note: Once the CRJ bids start getting awarded.....Yea, I'll have to get back to ya on that one, just too hard to tell where all the shuffling will be from.