Originally Posted by
thrust
Edit: OP appears to have deleted his question
AA commuter clause doesn’t even require the commute to be via air, let alone a “backup flight option”. Don’t have to share any info about why you’re utilizing commuter miss. Tread lightly on probation and don’t abuse it and it’s a non-event. Use it often and expect lots of scrutiny. Fair.
UAL definitely leads on deadhead language, crew meals, vacancy bidding, and maybe premium pay (AA capped at 150% for now, with a ridiculous sick offset). UAL has a different set up for excess B-fund money- into a health care savings thing versus cash to you like AA and DAL. Pros and cons. UAL has unfilled CA positions and widebody FOs in undesirable locations where you will be on reserve forever if that motivates you, you said it doesn’t. UAL has seniority list instructors, if that motivates you. UAL appears to have better management that actually cares about its customers and wants to be good at something.
AA has better reserve rules, if only because of the lack of UAL’s global reserve and airport standby BS. F that. AA has lowest new hire seat lock- 6 months, so fairly easy to transfer from 737 to 320 or vice versa and get where you want. AA’s scheduling/reassignment/recovery obligation rules appear to lag the industry. The company blocks too many trips for IOE. There’s basically no way to double dip. I have no clue how that compares to UAL, but it definitely lags DAL. Profit sharing is a joke. Seniority movement via massive amount of retirements is insane, but it certainly isn’t coming via growth. AA management appears to be content to just go through the motions and simply exist. They genuinely believe that the schedule is the product- getting from point A to B when a customer has no other option. Basically given up on competing head to head. Whatever, do you job and nothing more and go home.
Go with the first one that hires you and allows you a minimal commute in a place you’d like to live. Really can’t go wrong with either.
Update: I ended up landing an interview with AA and start with them in a couple weeks. Being based where I live, and eligible for all of the bonuses my regional is giving me is an absolute no brainer. My only hang up I had before about AA, was having to wait until later in the year to flow. That's not a factor anymore.
I feel blessed to have so many great opportunities. UPS would have been a financial gold mine as someone put it, but after researching the lifestyle and talking to a few pilots there, I decided it's not for me. Don't want to commute either. I agree, UA is a better managed airline and offers an overall better product, but commuting is the cardinal sin in this job. I feel lucky to have everything fall into place. Getting to a legacy based at home is a gold mine to me. I appreciate everyone's advice and input.