From eaglelounge:

with regards to flow, we currently sit 40 pilots above 50% for the 824. With the planned hiring of 750+ pilots for 2017 and summer/December months being historically slower on hiring... we are likely to see AA hire the bulk of the pilots for 2017 in the first 2 to quarters of 2017. That means that with only 40 as a surplus, they might not be able to fully meter and why we keep hearing the 40 flows per month. As I've stated before, this isn't out of kindness of heart, because of number of new hires we are getting or attrition; it has all to do with the 824 agreement and the 50% at the end of said agreement without metering language or other clause allowing for this to decrease.