Question About Mesa

[inthepool]

I've been looking for a regional job for 1.5 years now, so far nothing has become of it (besides being in ACA's pool for over a year now)

I have never applied to MESA, but I guess my patience is starting to wear thin. Here's my question: Does working at MESA make it basically impossible to move on once you've got enough time? Would I walk into an interview at SWA and basically get rejected for no other reason than I worked at MESA?

Please understand, I'm just looking for honest opinion on what direction to point my career. I'm not supporting or bashing MESA. Thanx in advance for serious constructive answers.

 

[350DRIVER]

You are playing with fire by posting this.!!! !!!
Before it gets flamed I will try and answer what I know..

I have never applied to MESA, but I guess my patience is starting to wear thin. Here's my question: Does working at MESA make it basically impossible to move on once you've got enough time? Would I walk into an interview at SWA and basically get rejected for no other reason than I worked at MESA?

Does working at ACA, Pinnacle, CHQ, TSA, etc, mean it will be impossible to move on.? I do not think so, pretty simple my friend. 121 time is 121 time, same color, same feel, etc. I am a tad surprised you would ask such a question in the first place.

I personally have met quite a few who have moved on.. Next time on AWA you may just meet one or two of them since they have been known to hire Mesa guys. . I think one or two in the last Bus class came from Mesa in fact!! !!


If you don't want to work for Mesa then simple solution that is relatively very elementary, don't . As for Mesa pilots having a problem "moving on"? Really do not think so.

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[General Lee]

I don't think working for Mesa would be a bad thing, but pulling a "Freedum Air" trick (skipping over seniority to fly something bigger for less money) will probably bring up more questions in a future interview. If you have come up dry lately, and you know about the working conditions and lower pay (than other peer regionals) and you still want to do it---then do it. You will get better experience flying for Mesa than sitting on your a$$. But, be prepared for the lower pay. If I see a Mesa guy and he wants a jumpseat, I don't think I treat them any different than anyone else, but I always do ask if he/she flew at Freedum Air.....

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[350DRIVER]

I don't think working for Mesa would be a bad thing, but pulling a "Freedum Air" trick (skipping over seniority to fly something bigger for less money) will probably bring up more questions in a future interview.

Just for "enjoyment" sake how would this be possible present day with the Mesa contract in place? Last I checked no new hire had the option to go to "Freedumb", I do believe what you are mentioning is a thing of the past so this has no relevance on new hires going into the Mesa system.


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[g159av8tor]

I personally have met quite a few who have moved on.. Next time on AWA you may just meet one or two of them since they have been known to hire Mesa guys. . I think one or two in the last Bus class came from Mesa in fact!! !!

Mesa to AWA? Big jump. You go from flying small jets for little money to flying big jets for little money. Kind of like going from bad to worse in terms of "industry standard". But, it's like going from good to better in terms of "industry average".

Tailwinds...

 

[Cosmo1999]

i know plenty of people who have worked at mesa who have moved on to Southwest, America West, etc... shouldnt be a big deal at all. i recently interviewed there and am still waiting for the word

 

[350DRIVER]

Mesa to AWA? Big jump. You go from flying small jets for little money to flying big jets for little money. Kind of like going from bad to worse in terms of "industry standard". But, it's like going from good to better in terms of "industry average".

Surely you must be making some big big bucks flying that RJ around of yours to make a statement like you have done. (no sarcasm intended) I would be very interested in hearing the rates that you currently are getting cause surely you must know something that us "low pay" pilots do not know. On a more serious note I believe that if you do some research you just may surprise yourself just a tad... Bad to worse? You have got to be kidding me..


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[wil]

I'm sure there are many PFT pilots that moved on to the Majors, etc. I have friends at Air Midwest- I don't like Mesa as a Corporation but I don't have a grudge against the pilots. You are the only one who has to look in the mirror on this. Good luck-

 

[crj579]

MESA is not and has never been PFT.

 

[350DRIVER]

You have got to love the posts with the sole intent to get a flame war going, bottom line is Mesa is not and has never been PFT. It is very simple, I would suggest you do a little research...


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[wil]

Easy guys- I never wrote that Mesa was or is PFT (a little sensitive I think?)
My point was that some pilots (at all Airlines/companies)have made choices that many would not and it has not hampered their progression in aviation.
No offense was intended.

 

[Otto Coarsen]

FYI

There are currently over 30 UAL furloughees in training @ mesa.. They are mostly happy to be here, and several of them CAME from mesa prior to united... They are RETURNING to mesa now..


So to answer your questions, yes ppl move on from here... To everywhere.. I infact know of one original FREEDUMBass who went to alaska... Go figure, that one. Pi$$es me off.

 

[aviatrix]

inthepool,

Somewhere you must have got some erroneous info about Mesa Airlines. There is nothing about Mesa that would preclude someone from moving on to a major. Their last contract was not great, but considering the Freedom debacle, it's not all that bad. The pay is about middle-of-the road.....not the highest, but certainly not the lowest.
The trade-off with working at Mesa is a super-quick upgrade, tons of growth, and a highly profitable airline to work for. Translation.......job security. The downsides are work rules and salary.
So many choose to actually have the job and sacrifice a little in pay. They have domiciles all over the country, so many people like that because they can often fly out of their home (or certainly near-by).
Those who gripe and bitch about Mesa are probably nervous they will be bought out and usurped by Mesa. It's no secret, Mesa has intentions to fly for many code-shares, all over the country, and get their hands on as many aircraft as they possibly can, any way they can.
So, seriously.........do some investigating before you post something as idiotic as "Do Mesa pilots get jobs with majors?" Of course they do........if they have 121 turbine time. The reality of the matter is.....They get them quicker than most, because captain upgrade and the PIC turbine time comes so much quicker than, say, Coex, Eagle, ASA, etc.

 

[SaladShooter]

I do not believe that working at MESA will hurt you in the future but you will have to deal with the stigma that flying for MESA brings. Yes there is a stigma involved with flying for MESA, just ask another airlines crew on the way to the hotel and they will let you know. Way the pros and cons and make your choice.

I would not say MESA is a highly profitable airline, they are moderatly profitable at best. They cleared 8.8 M excluding the 3.2M charge for the failed ACA takeover. Thoses numbers do not exactly strike fear into the hearts of the regional industry. ACA, CHQ, SKYW and the twins ASA and CMR, though the numbers are harder to find, are all more profitable than MESA. Though MESA does have better numbers than the TSA's and GLA's of the world.

Aviatrix, I am assuming you went to UofA, what the hell is with the BEAR DOWN fight song.....they are the wildkittys last I checked. Never been able to figuire that one out and most of the students who went to UA do not know either, I am hoping you can tell me.

ASU grad 1995

 

[Lear70]

Didn't want to start a separate thread for just one question, so excuse the small sidetrack (don't want to hijack the thread)... How many jumpseaters does Mesa allow? Planning a trip to a destination only serviced by Mesa and need to know if there is more than one jumpseater whether I'll need to have a backup plan for a rental car. Thanks!

 

[Otto Coarsen]

As many empty seats as we have...

 

[climbhappy]

no reason whatsoever...

should preclude you from moving on by working at Mesa. One could only get that impression from the deluge of ranting posts, often repetitive, never substantive, and always negative.

many of my former buds at CC air are there now. some of this business's finest airmen. 350 driver is right.

southwest airlines is getting ready to"pull out all the stops" as quoted in USA today, and it will, in my view spell the end of US AIR. Us Air will have to lower costs another 30% to stay in business. My premise points to this. Mesa didn't lower the bar, because ALPA signed off on the deal with CC Air. Is Ornstein a shrewd, unscrupulous businessman, who given todays prosecutorial attitiudes, may have been imprisoned had he been tried for his stock trading. YES. just ask Martha stewart.

Southwest, jetblue are leading the way in the move to drive wages down to the lowest possible number. My recent captain's daughter said to him, "Daddy, I don't want to fly for a livin, there's no money in it." she is 16 and i think she knows MORE than I do about life.

 

[WSurf]

Go to mesa get your time and move on. But expect a bunch of crap from other regional airlines. Mainly because of the contract that 87% of them signed off on. Many regionals now have to contend with neg. there contract with management saying, "well mesa does it for this, or there per diem is this." Many regionals have worked hard to make the quaility of life better at this level. (comair, awa, Mesba, PDT, ALG, ACA etc) And many feel that Mesa set them back 10 years signing off the last contract. JO even told his pilots that they needed to get cost lower then the US Airways WO's. So now RJ pilots at Mesa make less money the Dash8 drivers at the WO's.
It's a dog eat dog world.. its sad... The airline industry will never see the golden days of good pay again...

 

[Lear70]

Thanks Otto...

Shadow is right, the odds of the aviation industry ever returning to the heydays of the late 70's and 80's is about the same of breaking the house in Vegas. If you're in this for the money, you're in the WRONG profession! We do this because we love to fly and hate to work... not to mention the gorgeous flight atttendants... wait... wrong thread.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Wsurf, you must work for WO with Attitude like that.