I am looking at retiring from the military next year and getting into the airlines. I would like to get back to the Louisville, Ky area and saw that Mesa is opening a crew base there this year. Do any of you have any experience with working for Mesa? I have heard mixed reviews on working for them and wanted to get an idea of there work environment. Thanks.
Trevor
Trevor,
I’ve only heard opinions from other pilots. You know what they say about
opinions. My suggestion would be to use your network and speak with someone
that actually works/worked there. Hopefully someone on this forum can help.
Tory
Trevor,
Mesa WAS the bottom of the barrel Regional back in the day. They were non-union, had the lowest pay and the worst work rules. BUT, that was a long time ago and I’ve met some pilots recently who fly for Mesa and are quite happy. In this environment no airline can afford to be the worst due to the demand for pilots and from what I understand Mesa has responded appropriately. I believe the negative reviews you’re hearing are remnants from the past.
Adam
Thanks for the quick responses. That pretty much confirms what I have heard. I will try and get in touch with some current employees and see how things stand now. Thanks again.
Trevor,
From what I hear, Mesa has a pretty good contract these days. Things have really changed for the better there.
Chris
Isn’t an iPad required when you enroll at ATP? Apple refurbished iPads with WiFi+Cell are $410 so this seems to be a rather minor point. I think speed of upgrade to the left seat, availability of suitable domiciles and fleet, and overall incentives should be a higher priority than a $400 device that will be paid for well before you start with them.
I think that was the point. The iPad is a minor expense in the grand scheme, yet Mesa doesn’t see fit to provide them to their pilots. It just gives an idea of the priorities of the company. I am pretty sure I am going with either PSA or Piedmont at this point. I dropped my retirement paperwork last week, so I am on the final countdown to civilian life!
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Ok I feel the need to point out how fortunate you up and coming pilots are right now with the current environment. You have the ability to pick from a number of Regionals all vying for your affections. Not that long ago pilots had to pay for their own training and were thankful just to get invited to interview and now you’re talking trash about paying for an iPad. Yes Mesa may be less generous than some of the others BUT they’ve been around longer than most and also aren’t getting subsidized by Mother AA. Back in the day Xjt was the most generous Regional in the country. We had the best contract in the industry. They also came dangerously close to shutting down but were purchased by Skywest. Generosity and survival don’t always mix well in this industry.
Adam
At $40 a month in reimbursement you can buy a new one just about every year. Here’s another thought—if they issue you an iPad, it’s company property. That means you need to be mindful that in the end what you do on that device can be accessed and examined by your employer. So, either carry two iPads everywhere you go—one for personal activities and one that’s company property—or surrender any reasonable expectation of privacy related to anything you do on that device. My present company issues laptops and I can tell you from experience that some of my colleagues have received a phone call from HR for going somewhere they shouldn’t have gone using company property.