Originally Posted by
Mason32
Actually it's not the same. As I see it once they created Eagle 16 years ago anybody on their pilot list flew as American Eagle. To this day pilots if executive airlines are in the master Eagle pilot seniority list and they operate as American Eagle. During those past 16 years when AMR contracted out flying as they did with TSA and CHQ the contractors used the American Connection brand.
If the name of your airline is nothing more than a brand, wait until Delta United and the rest license the brand to the lowest bidder. AMR is setting a new precedent and thus us the foot in the door just as baby jets for regionals was 20 years ago.
If what you claim was valid, it would be American Eagle pilots who own their brand. Your union gave that away, thus AMR owns the brand American Eagle and is free to do as they wish in regard to what pilots have rights to it. The only thing stopping AMR from having another carrier fly the American Airlines brand is APA scope. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but AA, Delta and United have ALREADY partially lost their brand as evidenced by those names being placed on "lowest bidder" aircraft simply with the addition of names, like Eagle, Connection and Express. That boat has already sailed and that "precedent" was broken 25 years ago.
The majority of regional pilots couldn't care less what "brand" their shiny and not so shiny jets have as long as it gets them to the captain seat and out as fast as possible. You'll find no loyalty in the regional pilot business anymore as its pilot-eat-pilot and any rationalization works. That's why many at Eagle told me the flying they now do that used to be AA's was never AA's or their pilots, but AMR's. Now the shoe is on the other foot and suddenly it's not so comfortable anymore. Again, its happening everywhere else and those on the acquisition end justify it and those on the other cry about the injustice. Sooner or later, you switch ends and go from justification to crying. The only thing new here, is that it's finally gotten around to American Eagle or what USED to be American Eagle.