Originally Posted by
Excargodog
I have nothing whatever against AA, and don’t even think their management did anything wrong. But the cards fell the wrong way with a number of factors beyond their control including the timing of their fleet renewal, NEO and MAX development, COVID, the rebound of flying, the shortage of regional CAs and upgrade eligible FOs, inflation, and a likely coming recession. They are too big to fail, but they would not be my choice of the best legacy to be a junior FO in for the next several years.
You are more optimistic than others there. They hyperleveraged the airline while cutting down the product, assuming people will pay for convenience over service. That didn't happen, and that is why they are 12 Billion less valuable (based on simple shareholders equity) than the next Legacy carrier, and they need over a decade of "best year ever" profits before they are even solvent.
It won't matter to an average pilot there, but it does not dilute the point you are making - AA is financially an absolute clusterf*ck.