Yes, it's crappy we pay first 5 years. Nobody likes how offline can go free and our people don't.. BUT, it's still WELL worth it for the listing priority we get with the check in times being first come first serve, and D1 ability. I travel international a lot, and it's easy for me to always get #1 or #2 on the standby list and actually get on every flight with my registered companion, rather than being stranded in some foreign country because I was number 87 on standby behind some ramper's cousin and their 12 kids, like I see on UAL and Delta all the time.

Fee goes away after 5 years anyway.. and if you are in the cockpit it's always FREE. Asking for the cockpit jumpseat gets you around the fee if they are wiling to do it. Whenever I commuted before my 5 years was up, I just avoided Eagle/AA most of the time, unless I absolutely needed the priority to get on (like on a weather day), then I'd gladly pay the $10 over getting stranded overnight. Now after my 5 years is up, it's been fantastic. I don't pay for coach, my companion doesn't pay, my parents don't pay.. I always have the potential ability to get priority over a 30yr AA pilot "on their own airplane" if I am good with the system or they could do the same on my airplane as well. I have never ridden in anything other than Business or First on countless international AA flights due to the priority I can get. There is no better at any regional IMO. Changing it to the way others do it would be the dumbest thing ever.

People on the outside are just looking at it the wrong way.. yes a junior guy gets charged "a little". ($7-13) domestic.. but where else will a JUNIOR regional pilot have the ability to get TOP priority on the standby list, even over the mainline people?? It's a trade-off. Well worth it too IMO.. pay $10 and get on, or go free with some other system and wait around the airport all day/night because your listing priority sucks..

When you are standing at the gate for the last flight home of the day on AA in Tokyo and there is only 2 seats available and 19 standby's on the list, trust me, you will LOVE our system (if you actually planned ahead 24hrs). Plus, $10 non-rev fee to get home after a 4 day for a new-hire is still cheaper than buying a hotel room and losing a night off at home because you didn't have the priority to get on with some other system..