Pinnacle vs. Mesaba

[Dirty Sanchez]

Just how horrible is the life of a 9E reserve captain? Would a "semi-street-captain" hired today spend three years of 10 days off a month, or will the PBS system benefit reserve guys at all?

Thanks.

You will never get off of reserve (unless you plan to make 9E a career) and never get more than 10 days (probably 8 or 9) a month off.

Guys hired during the middle of 2004 who upgraded within a few months (semi-street captain?) are just now starting to see lines, and only because of PBS. Hiring levels won't be nearly as high as they have been for the past three years, so it will take forever while you wait for 600 FOs senior to you to upgrade.

 

[FlyingGuy]

At Pinnacle the reserve times in DTW are fairly short. People will often bid DTW for upgrade because of this. I can't give you specifics since I'm not based there.
memphis is a different story where captains are on reserve for a long time.

 

[SplitBar]

A snapback is something that is supposed to happen when "growth" actually occurs which is not happening at Mesaba. "Replacement" is what is happening.

"Growth" is a long ways off.

Tell that to a new hire who is going to see XJ more than double in size over the next couple years. Factor in attrition and XJ is "growing" like crazy. Call it what you want but life doesn't suck at XJ right now.... Deal with it.

:beer:

 

[PinnacleDude]

The people I know at Mesaba are great folks. Whenever I have needed a ride, etc., they have gone out of their way. The pilots at Pinnacle are also great and I have enjoyed getting to know them.

With that said, there is no way around our contract. It is terrible and our upper level managment is .... well don't have anything nice to say about them. Some of the local managment guys are great and some ... well .. .. Reserve is just plain wrong. If you want to know how it feels to be a street Captain just picture this little phrase in your head for 2-3 straight years "BOHICA". It's like that old drug commercial. This is your life. Now this is your life on Pinnacle Reserve.

I am sure you get the picture now. If anyone comes to Pinnacle, be prepared to meet a lot of great pilots. Just know that you are seen by management as a liability and will be treated as such when it benefits them.

Good luck with your flying career. May I recommend Expressjet?

 

[XJohXJ]

A snapback is something that is supposed to happen when "growth" actually occurs which is not happening at Mesaba. "Replacement" is what is happening.

"Growth" is a long ways off.

Nevertheless, at Mesaba, snapbacks are what happens after any growth over 49 Saabs, of which we seem to be getting plenty. The snapbacks are scheduled for Dec 2008, and should increase until Dec 2010.

 

[XJohXJ]

Good luck with your flying career. May I recommend Expressjet?

If you don't mind their domiciles, I'd have to agree with that.

 

[xjhawk]

my two cents....... I agree with the numerous 9E pilots who say they have a better pay scale. Yes true, and the fact that there you are definately upgrading into a crj. That said, I hear your work rules are so bad that if efffects your QOL and your bottom line. Bottom line being that you do not have min day and the rest of your work rules are not that great. With NWa flow through and being owned by NWA, we will prob get more jets and more growth. So if you are looking for advice to go somewhere, go to Mesaba, not Pinnacle.

That being said, I like most of the pinnacle people I have met, same as I like most Mesaba people I met, that said....there are jerks in both companies. Oh, and I hope you guys get a great contract and can say in the future that your pay and work rules are better than ours...you deserve it with the crap you have been dealing with! good luck.