Us Airways Express Affiliate Carrier

[USA320Pilot]

Mesa Drops Plans to Fly Boeing 737s

PHOENIX (Aviation Daily) - Mesa is unlikely to fly Boeing 737s in the near future after management and pilots hit a roadblock in pay discussions for the narrowbody planes. Management approached pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), last month with a verbal offer for rates based on a stand-alone 10-aircraft operation from Pittsburgh. “We’ve dropped the issue,†CEO Jonathan Ornstein told The DAILY, adding that it was just one alternative the carrier was considering for the future. In a recent update Mesa’s pilot leaders told ALPA membership that the carrier had denied its request to put the offer in writing, and the union eventually decided it wouldn’t act on the verbal offer “due to its unofficial nature.â€

Carrier management offered captain’s rates 20% above CRJ-900 pay, and a two-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement, which would have extended the contract to Sept. 19, 2009. Mesa’s pilot union leaders also said analysis showed the proposed rates were out of line with current industry averages for pilots flying similar equipment. Management proposed a $78.30 rate for a five-year captain versus $135.30 as an industry average, ALPA said in its Master Executive Council update. Ten-year captain rates were $90.30 versus an industry average of $144.05. Despite dropping plans to fly 737s, Mesa’s cash position could prop the airline up if US Airways enters a second round of Chapter 11 or liquidates. UBS analyst Robert Ashcroft says the carrier’s cash balance - $229 million at the end of March - could allow the carrier survive a year without revenue from its US Airways fleet.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[Light Years]

Good. I'm glad the pilots are finally standing up to Ornsteins plans for an "ultra-low cost carrier". The bar simply cannot be lowered any more.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

Yep everywhere around A320 predictions are getting blown out of water.

Mesa preparing for life after USAirways, are you prepared?

 

[USA320Pilot]

US Airways Vote NO:

US Airways Vote No said: "Yep everywhere around A320 predictions are getting blown out of water."

USA320Pilot asks: Can you explain your comment above?

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[bwipilot]

Thanks Mesa pilots for not worsening the payscale.

The supply of pilots and demand by airlines is hurting the profession overall. Many pilots desire an airline job--more than currently needed by airlines. Hence, companies like Mesa can offer wages much lower the previously paid. I expect the downward pressure to last until a combination of retirements (age 60) and industry growth (more pilots needed) reverse the situation.

In an odd way, the best thing pilots unions (ALPA, APA, SWAPA, etc.) could do for members would be advertise how being an airline pilot has lost the luster of years ago. Pointing out that pilots no longer make $200K as a majority, work more than ten days a month (more like 17 to 20), deal with TSA, and have little job stability over a thirty year career would help reduce the supply of pilots looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Over the decades, pilots have been their own enemies by bragging about the job--enticing more pilots to try to join the ranks--creating the excess.

Of course the industry is cyclical. Retirements are starting to increase, the industry is getting better--but after a five year boom the bust will be back--more furloughs, pay reductions--all over again.

 

[ITRADE]

In an odd way, the best thing pilots unions (ALPA, APA, SWAPA, etc.) could do for members would be advertise how being an airline pilot has lost the luster of years ago. Pointing out that pilots no longer make $200K as a majority, work more than ten days a month (more like 17 to 20), deal with TSA, and have little job stability over a thirty year career would help reduce the supply of pilots looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Over the decades, pilots have been their own enemies by bragging about the job--enticing more pilots to try to join the ranks--creating the excess.

But that would be an implied (or not so implied admission) by ALPA and APA that their ability to "hold the line" and, hence, collect exhorbitant union dues is for naught.

I don't think you'll see that coming out of ALPA.

 

[Long Gone]

The Investment Bankers drive the Airline Business in the US. If there ever was a perceived shortage of pilots you will see the same relaxation of the immigration/work laws to alleviate the "shortage". It's prevalent in the Information professional business. Part 121 pilots will be recruited from every country in the world, the perfect supply sits in Russia and China. The FAA will bend over to place the Green Card holders into the cockpit. The FAA supplied as many inspectors as Eastern and Continental desired to break those strikes. The FEDS will be eager associates in the lowering of the pilot profession along with the Immigration service. The silk sock boys at ALPA endorsed and misrepresented the commuter pilots, Wall street isn't oblivious to the fact. The fact that ALPA openly permitted contracts which classified professional pilots as less valuable will ultimately be the Waterloo of the Czars at ALPA and ALPA as been known in the past. Don't discount this observation, remember when the "Tech Industry" was the savior for high wage jobs. Ask the professionals who trained the "Green Card" workers, then lost there job to them. I know many who have experienced that fraud, the airline business is on the horizon for Corporate America and the Wall Street fat cat bankers, and ALPA has been a eager participant.

 

[700UW]

Hey where is SoldWholeSale, I guess he was WRONG about Mesa leased two ex UAL 737s, gotta love it!

 

[PropPiedmont]

Maybe Mesa decided to save there money to invest it elsewhere. Shoot, maybe they'll just buy US Air instead.