Pinnacle vs Mesaba

[Irish Pilot]

Im looking to get back to MSP. Assuming I would be fortunate to get hired at either or both what are your thoughts...

Pinnacle or Mesaba......?

 

[Lear70]

Mesaba... Every day of the week and twice on Tuesday.

PCL:
No pay during training.
No housing during training.
No per diem during training.
One of the worst starting pay scales of ANY regional.
End of a growth/hiring boom - stuck on reserve forever.
Ability to upgrade no better/worse than MSA right now - 5 to 7 years at earliest.
Crappy 401k
NO trip or duty rigs
TERRIBLE sick rate accrual

I could go on and on, but MSA seems to have the better quality of life, not to mention our contract negotiations are just getting geared up and will take at least two years to complete, so nothing will improve for a LONG time.

If I were you, I wouldn't go to EITHER carrier - there are better opportunities out there. Good luck!

 

[Irish Pilot]

If I were you, I wouldn't go to EITHER carrier - there are better opportunities out there. Good luck!

Which would you suggest (because I sure as hell am open to suggestions)?

ExpressJet? Chataqua? Eagle?

 

[Lear70]

Beagle if you don't mind waiting 10+ years for an upgrade - their QOL and pay is pretty decent, all things considered.

XJet seems to be another good choice right now, new contract is relatively F/O friendly although I was hoping for better pay rates (but I was hoping that for MSA too).

Don't know jack squat about Chatauqua to be quite honest with you... Maybe someone else can chime in?

 

[EMB170Pilot]

brand new in the 170 and lucky and blesses to be senior FO in the 170

Great Bunch of people to work with! EMB-170 is a blast to fly. Passengers CONSTANTLY praise about the airplane. Xjet and CHQ are growing. I have nothing bad about Xjet...had an interview with them but already got the job in the 170 for CHQ so I was like Nahhhhhhhhhhhh Why bother. Have friends at XJET and they love it there.

Now Bad... Pay! but luckily I have some stuff on the side so its not affecting me. If you want any other info. PM me later!

 

[DoinTime]

Im looking to get back to MSP. Assuming I would be fortunate to get hired at either or both what are your thoughts...

Pinnacle or Mesaba......?

If living in MSP and not commuting are hard requirements both PCL and Mesaba are hiring. I've heard horror stories about how long it takes to become a line holder in MSP at Mesaba but then with the growth ending at PCL getting off reserve may prove to be challenging here as well.

PCL isn't the best place to work in the first place and as we enter negotiations it will probably get worse. If you love to be flying (all the time) you may like it here though.

Not really sure how happy people are at Mesaba since they signed their new deal. I'm sure someone will reply.

 

[flap operator]

MSP is becoming increasingly easier to hold as a relatively new line pilot. In the last year it went from being nearly impossible to hold MSP FO to new hires getting it. I talked to a guy the other day who has 5 months with the company and as of March will be holding a build-up line in MSP. Considering MSP is mecca and Mesaba seems to be only hiring people from the MN area, that's pretty good.

Over the two airlines, I'd choose Mesaba. Not only because I'm a Mesaba pilot, but for the reasons that Lear mentioned. While our new contract isn't Comair in pay, there are some nice things that improve our quality of life. For example I blocked 79 hours in Feb but will be paid for 95. Cancelations are 100% pay protected, extra flying on days off is compensated at 150% no matter what and the list goes on. Lear voices his disapointment regarding our "failure" to achieve Comair plus pay, but there are actually many areas in our contract better than Comairs. So, it's not all about the money.

We have good facilities, good training, top notch people (for the most part) to work with, good equipment. All in all, Mesaba is a good place to work. Perfect? Of course not... but it could be way worse.

We are only hiring for atttritian right now, but that could all change in a moments notice. We haven't a/c growth since 2000, but utilization has improved. It is all up to NWA wether or not Mesaba or Pinnacle grows. Captain upgrades aren't the horror stories that we used to have. The most recent prview has a Feb 2000 FO going to class. Of 855 on the list, that number is 540. If the current upgrading continues at a conservative rate, it will be about 3-4 years. Just a WAG, but at least upgrades are in sight again.

I would pick the company, be it Mesaba, Pinnacle or anyone else, basedon the quality of life you want. You may get stuck at that company for awhile... so you might want to be prepared to be satisfied with who you choose.

PM me if you want more info.


FO

 

[Steveair]

Heard it takes 6 months to transfer frow DTW to MSP w/ Mesaba.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Heard it takes 6 months to transfer frow DTW to MSP w/ Mesaba.

Not true... Just had a new hire transfer from DTW to MSP before their green line was even awarded... I think they were maybe a month out of training... Granted they are straight reserve in MSP, but it was much shorter than 6 months.

 

[Flyer1015]

While we're on Mesaba, just curious, if you get hired as a Saab F/O [any base], how long before you can bid for Avro F/O [any base] ?