To XJt or not to XJT?

[pdub20s]

Well folks... Im sitting here in ATL on a JA when I should be at home with the family right now... i got an offer to interview at Expressjet and im deciding whether i should take it or not. Your probably thinking.. "Dude, the choice between mesa and XJT should be a no brain-er.." But here are some pros and cons im weighing in.

Freedom :

Pros - only 400numbers back from CA in JFK and can upgrade as soon as i get the flight time.

Cons - Its mesa


XJT:

Pros - better work rules, pay, QOL,

Cons - furloughing soon(rumor)? and Junior bases are on the west coast. I live in MCO and don't feel like the cross country commute. also i start at the bottom again.


whats the current upgrade time at XJT?

 

[altimaklr]

Kinda like choosing a first class ticket on Titanic or a flight on the Hindenburg.

 

[Baronman]

Take XJT over Mesa any day.

The contract at XJT is a good one, for any airline.

The West Coast bases aren't necessarily the most junior any more. EWR/CLE are fairly junior for FOs and look for more growth in CLE next year.

Never heard that XJT is furloughing. Probably wishful thinking from guys who are frustrated at their current airline.

In addition, I think Mesa has some serious problems to face, with the recent court findings etc.

 

[pdub20s]

Kinda like choosing a first class ticket on Titanic or a flight on the Hindenburg.

thats pretty funny lol

 

[pdub20s]

Take XJT over Mesa any day.

The contract at XJT is a good one, for any airline.

The West Coast bases aren't necessarily the most junior any more. EWR/CLE are fairly junior for FOs and look for more growth in CLE next year.

Never heard that XJT is furloughing. Probably wishful thinking from guys who are frustrated at their current airline.

In addition, I think Mesa has some serious problems to face, with the recent court findings etc.

is the EWR and CLE base commutable from MCO?

 

[Baronman]

is the EWR and CLE base commutable from MCO?

EWR of course...Between 10 CAL and 3 JBLU flights a day.

CLE..just guessing does 5-6 a day to MCO.

 

[pdub20s]

are new hires being awarded those bases?

 

[GOULET!]

Kinda like choosing a first class ticket on Titanic or a flight on the Hindenburg.

That is one of the funniest things I've read on here in a long time. You could have used that reply to so many posts on here.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Heh, you actually got an interview with XJT? Wow all they would offer me was an internship after I said I was graduating in December..

Makes ya think!

 

[Superpilot92]

XJT is not going to furlough. The west coast bases are now staffed so any base should be had as a new hire soon. Lots of attrition from people being hired everywhere. Great company, good flying, decent pay and contract. I personally would come to XJT but i wouldn't work for mesa either way. FWIW

There are a lot of Ex-Mesa pilots here at XJT and I have never heard one say they wish they would have stayed at Mesa. Good luck

 

[pdub20s]

Heh, you actually got an interview with XJT? Wow all they would offer me was an internship after I said I was graduating in December..

Makes ya think!

well, are you current and SIC typed in the EMB145?? do you have prior 121 experience?

 

[pdub20s]

XJT is not going to furlough. The west coast bases are now staffed so any base should be had as a new hire soon. Lots of attrition from people being hired everywhere. Great company, good flying, decent pay and contract. I personally would come to XJT but i wouldn't work for mesa either way. FWIW

There are a lot of Ex-Mesa pilots here at XJT and I have never heard one say they wish they would have stayed at Mesa. Good luck

thanks for the info man

 

[TNPILOT]

Personally if I were in your shoes I wouldn't work for either company. I'm fairly senior at XJT so I'm pretty happy but if I were a new hire I would go elsewhere. It's not that I think it's a bad place or a sinking ship, I just think we've been hiring for a LONG time and things have to slow eventually. Our Director of Flight Ops said the next training class will be in Feb. Upgrade time is currently just over 2 years but will probably climb to three.

As for commuting to EWR or CLE from MCO. Wow, have fun with that.

That being said I'd go to XJT any day over Mesa no matter what the risk. Don't be blinded by your own ambition. There is a reason there is a stereo type about Mesa. There are plenty of places hiring right now. Don't rule out the turbo prop operators. Good luck.

 

[BrickTop]

As much as I enjoyed my time and the people at XJT and yes a great pilot contract, If they don't follow economics and industry trends and find larger than 50 seat aircraft, their days are questionable. From their first day on the market as an IPO there has been a consitent spiral to under $3.00 per share from $15.00. I am glad to have had the chance to work for a company who displays the employee considerations their mangement takes but unfortunatally their is more to prolonged business than employee relations.
Never turn down an Airline interview, as you will only perfect your self selling techniques, and learn to "dance the tunes", but take the job with a good industry understanding and recognize the potentials. GOOD LUCK!

 

[pdub20s]

Personally if I were in your shoes I wouldn't work for either company. I'm fairly senior at XJT so I'm pretty happy but if I were a new hire I would go elsewhere. It's not that I think it's a bad place or a sinking ship, I just think we've been hiring for a LONG time and things have to slow eventually. Our Director of Flight Ops said the next training class will be in Feb. Upgrade time is currently just over 2 years but will probably climb to three.

As for commuting to EWR or CLE from MCO. Wow, have fun with that.

That being said I'd go to XJT any day over Mesa no matter what the risk. Don't be blinded by your own ambition. There is a reason there is a stereo type about Mesa. There are plenty of places hiring right now. Don't rule out the turbo prop operators. Good luck.

yea, i've heard of things slowing up at XJT. Im still waiting to hear for Rjet. If I hear from them im definately jumping ship. Im pretty close to holding CA(senority wise) here at F8

 

[labbats]

You said you were 400 numbers from junior captain at Mesa, but should upgrade soon. Isn't there only around 1600-1700 companywide at Mesa?

Seems a longer wait than you may think due to possible shrinkage in the future.

If you live in MCO, why XJT? This market is a pilot's dream... you can go to any regional you'd like. Commuting sucks, avoid it at all costs.

Best of luck to you regardless.

 

[Superpilot92]

Right now I would probably go to Skywest if i was getting into the business right now. XJT worked out great for me but i was hired almost 3 years ago. Skywest is doing a good job finding new business and growing. Todays right choice is tomorrows wrong choice. I firmly believe that the attrition alone will keep movement going here at XJT. Sure there are "what ifs" but that is the same as any job you choose. Good luck.

 

[andym037]

I came to XJT from TSA just under a year ago, and despite everything thats happened since, I still think it was the right move. All in all, its a day and night difference... and from what I gather Mesa is worse than TSA. There was a freedom guy in my new hire class here, and he seemed very happy with his choice. The bottom line: ANY regional is unstable. The "best" regional to go to changes from month to month. Also, if you think about it... a company with a longer upgrade time is something of a good sign from a QOL perspective. Why? Its an indication of slow attrition, which means that people aren't jumping ship left and right, which means things are probably good. I can say that things are great here at XJT now, and from what I can tell its better than RAH. At least for now. What this place will be like in 2 years is anybody's guess. At the end of the day, all of the regionals are ultimately at the mercy of their codeshare airlines. Therefore, I think that all one can do is chose based on what you know now. Make a decision based on the information in hand today, and hope it was right one. Nobody knows what tomorrow holds.

 

[cwebster2]

Cons - furloughing soon(rumor)?

there wont be furloughs. FO's are overstaffed as it is but they will just slow hiring and let attrition take care of it.

 

[Cardinal]

I'll be the contrary guy.

Stay at Mesa. As for shtty regionals, I've been there, done that, so I know the sacrifice it entails. But there are clear upsides. Upgrade - moving to the left seat puts you on a high that lasts approximately three months, during which you don't feel the pain of working for idiots. A small thing, but being a CA is just more pleasant. The sooner you're in the left seat, the sooner you'll escape the regionals. Remember, your goal shouldn't be "Escape from Mesa." It should be "Escape from the nightmare that is the regional industry." QOL at the regional level is a farce. I'm sure most would say a senior Horizon FO maintains a stellar QOL. I could never be a seven year Dash FO, because I would have slit my wrists around year five. What's the freakin point of it? Unbreakable rule: At every regional you will work harder and longer for less money than you would at mainline.

Prompt advancement at XJT is not a sure thing. Continued 60% load factors on the branded flying and $100 oil could rapidly send a quarter of the fleet to the desert. Upgrade goes from 2-3 years to infinity overnight.

Mesa will no doubt continue to suck, which may work for you. Chronic understaffing drives up attrition, always. Lots of people, after one to many JAs, say "screw this" and walk. This is your ticket to the left seat. My airline shrank every year I was there, but maintained the quickest upgrade in the industry by virtue of conditions sucking so badly. Even if Mesa is forced to scale back modestly, progress will continue.

I'm a big proponent of present suffering in the name of future rewards. Seeing the worst of it now really makes one appreciate the next step. Suck it up and get out quickly - but don't get out now.

Kinda like choosing a first class ticket on Titanic or a flight on the Hindenburg

Truer words never spoken.