Phoenix based Regional carrier Mesa Airlines' website reads ,
" We’re looking for the best & brightest…and we now have the highest regional airline pilot pay scale! "
Yes , they have done it , atleast for now ! It's an industry leading package of hourly rates for the Captains and first officers , which has direct relationship with the derth of Regional Pilots , being absorbed by bigger Players .
Mesa Airlines website further reads ,
Mesa Airlines is the perfect place to begin your airline career or grow as a professional. We are a diverse group of pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and corporate professionals. Mesa flights are operated on behalf of our major airline partners, American Airlines, United Airlines and DHL. Mesa is the only regional airline to operate narrow-body aircraft, with our Boeing 737-400F cargo aircraft for DHL.
Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) says ,
Today, the pilots of Mesa Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), secured industry-leading pay rates with Letter of Agreement (LOA) 8.
“With strong competition in the regional industry, today’s LOA offers the compensation Mesa needs to remain competitive and attract and retain experienced, qualified pilots,” said Capt. Chris Gill, Mesa ALPA Master Executive Council chair. “We’re happy to see management and our partners recognize the value of Mesa pilots.”
Shortage of regional Pilots is acute , as the Post Pandemic recovery effort is prompting bigger players - the national and International carriers to absorb the cockpit crews from smaller carriers to fill the void created by the Covid-19.
Weeks ago , Shortage of Pilots prompted American Airlines to end services to some airports in Iowa , New York and Ohio , starting September , as per a company announcement.
American Airlines statement further said , it will cease the services to the Dubuque Regional Airport in Iowa , the Long Island MacArthur Airport and the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport, which are in New York and the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Ohio, on September 7th.
The “regional pilot shortage" has been learned to be the prime factor behind the “difficult decision” to cut ties with the four airports.
Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) added ,
Mesa pilots are still engaged in Section 6 negotiations under the Railway Labor Act to address other areas of the contract, but this week’s agreement reflects an overall hourly rate pay increase of nearly 118 percent for first-year captains and 172 percent for new-hire first officers.
The following pay rates will go into effect September 15 , 2022:
Bar is being set and breached often in 2022 ! Not long ago , Piedmont and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) had reached a deal , that increased the first year Captain pay from $78 per hour to $146 per hour and first year, first officer pay from $51 per hour to $90 per hour.
