Originally Posted by aa73

I don't know how old this thread is, but today AA is reservation-based for the j/s, and FCFS for the back.

We changed to a reservation-based system last October. The company tried to implement the same system LUS had, but failed miserably. They married the j/s reservation system to the non rev travel system and it's creating all kinds of havoc. It needs to be separate, and that's what we are pressuring the company to do.

We also have many problems with deadheading. Not absolute positive space A1 mind you (even though, occasionally, we do have a bonehead who tries to take the j/s as an A1), but rather the slightly lower priority A3 that is not quite positive space, but who can still bump a reserved j/s. This is flat out WRONG. Word is that the company is looking to change to A1 for all deadheading, like LUS and all other airlines have.

I know it's hard to believe, but AA has never given its pilots 100% positive space deadheading coming back home from training, or to base. We currently get A3s back from training, which is not a confirmed seat if the flight is oversold. Guess what happens then - the A3 can bump the reserved j/s. It's criminal. It's one of the things we are fighting strongly to get changed.

To me, the ideal system is what DAL has: reserved j/s, and seniority for the cabin.

Going forward, post-SLI, our committee has been tasked to come up with a hybrid system. Seniority for the first few days, then reservation the last few. I don't know what the final product will look like.

Lots of moving parts, but slowly bearing fruit.

AA is a huge airline with a pilot culture stuck in the 1950s. We are slowly trying to get it changed.

73
APA National j/s committee