jstanotherpilot

Hey everyone, I’ve been incessantly reading through hundreds of posts trying to find answers to certain things, and I noticed that a lot of basic questions I feel pilots want to know aren’t easily found or very superficially discussed in this forum. So, with your help, and in light of this hiring wave at AA, I thought it would be incredibly helpful to have a post that could answer some questions for pilots looking to make a move to AA.

So, if anyone is willing to provide some insight… here are some questions (sorry for the long list)

1: Average amount of days off per month as a line holder? Is dropping/swapping flexible? Is it possible to continuously get 18-20 days off a month, for example? What does a normal schedule look like and how much can it be manipulated? Does it compare to the flexibility at Spirit, Frontier, or Southwest, for example? How flexible are things at American?

2: Potential for higher earnings. We all know what the rates on APC are so we can figure out minimum guarantee. But, what does a normal schedule look like that goes over guarantee? There are multiple posts about pilots making well over the projected guarantee, (NB CA’s in the 400k mark), how is this possible? How does the system allow pilots to earn more than guarantee?

3: Commutability. Obviously living in base will improve anyone’s QOL, but how commutable are trips? What is the average length of trips? What can new hires expect?

4: What is the current system for bidding or awarding lines? What is TTOT? What is TTS? What is IMAX? (Sorry if these are incorrectly spelled). Are you stuck with your line after it’s awarded? How often can you adjust your schedule to make it to your liking?

5: What are the bases expected out of training? How often can you switch base? Can you switch equipment/base during training? Can you pick up trips from other bases? Personally, as a new hire I am looking for ORD, how would I be able to obtain the base of my liking? If I am awarded XXX/XXX (equipment/base) in new hire training, how can I switch to an equipment/base that better suits my QOL?

6: How long on average can a new hire be expected to be on reserve?

7: What are your reserve rules? Can you move around reserve days? Can you create a huge block of days of continuous reserve and have a longer block of days off? How are days off organized during reserve? For example, is there any “4 days off minimum between trips/blocks of reserve” type of language in your cba?

8: What are the current upgrade times? How long can new upgrades expect to be on reserve?

9: Medical benefits? Good/Bad/Expensive?

10: What is the training footprint?

11: And lastly, what are some things you as a pilot at AA wish you would have known before joining, or is there anything else you would like to share to potential new hires getting offered a the job at AA.

Thank you