RJ85FO

True, and I understand.

The fact remains the same, however. If you are "hired" at NWA from Mesaba or Compass, it still costs NWA more. They have to now train you at the mainline and train a replacement at the regional.

If you were in the bean-counting department and had two equally qualified candidates, one from ExpressJet and one from Mesaba. Who would you hire based on economics?

Squawk_5543

Latest we have heard on that subject (flow through) is they are getting all the agreements in order and uniform. Still on track and set to kick off in Jan '08 if all goes to plan. 3 per month.

LoudFastRules

3 per month throughout most of 2008. Then it picks up to (I believe) 10 per month. I guess they want to initially limit it during Mesaba's growth phase so we don't end up understaffed. I would also guess that with a flow through established NWA will avoid hiring XJ pilots outside of the flow through. Just a guess, though.

IHateMgmt

I would pick the cadidate that is at max CA pay at XJ so we (NW mgmt) can start them over at NW and get some junior/cheaper pilots in the regionals.

Am I missing something?

LoudFastRules

The only problem is that most of the top of the list is probably not going to go to NWA and start at the bottom. Why would they? I think the estimates going around for the senior guys is somewhere in the 10-20 year range to better their senior pay at Mesaba. Throw that in the mix with trading good schedules for initially bad ones, topped off with the comfort of familiarity at Mesaba, and you've got a recipe for lifers. Furthermore, I don't think anyone really would feel safe about job security at NWA until a much brighter picture gets painted over there.

Having said all of that, I'm fairly junior at Mesaba, and would be happy to give it a chance over at the mothership.

Tinpusher007

Loudfast...I think you've got it right. Getting hired into the -900, Im flying with the most senoir guys at the company. My sim partner has been with Mesaba since the Metro days(17+ years). Anyway, none of them have any desire to flow to NW, and some for more than QOL issues.

Lighteningspeed

Saying none of them will go to NWA is going too far. Even checkairmen have said they will go to NWA if called. Senior guys with family will most likely stay but what will happen is anybody's guess. Anything can happen. Depends on what their priorities are.

tsween

sounds like people are trying to predict winning lottery numbers

LoudFastRules

Fair enough. My point was that the really highly paid guys (the ultra senior) are not too likely to go. Some will, but many won't. Line check airmen are a different matter. Plenty of them are middle seniority.

Age is a factor, too. If a pilot is 30-40something, they have plenty of time to climb the list at a major. Once you get somewhere into the mid-upper 50's there really isn't enough time to get to the upper ($) ranks of the mainline. This isn't to say none will, some guys might want to go no matter what, just for the variety and experience, and the financial issues might be acceptable.

It's certainly not an exact science, I'm just guessing at it. Heck, plenty of pilots like to pass the time gaming out how quick they can move into the money seats. I guess it is kind of like the lottery, just more important, as it is a career.

Ftrooppilot

[quote=LoudFastRules;236758]3 per month throughout most of 2008. Then it picks up to (I believe) 10 per month. . . . . . [quote]

IMHO: To get 18 pilots by July 2008 they would be into the 200-250 seniority numbers. Below 350 they might get 1 out of 10. New aircraft, and QOL will keep many pilots at Mesaba.