Originally Posted by nene

No dog in this fight, pilots have to make decisions for themselves and their situation, but I would say over the last 30yrs I've been around this business, AA's mgmt has consistently been the most harshest on it's pilots.

AA has come ALONG way, but they used to charge their own pilots for non-rev until a certain point and would even charge their own pilots to use the Jumpseat if a seat in back was open.

I knew a pilot that when hired by Eagle and based in SJU, cost HIM money to go sit reserve cause AA charged him for the non-rev to/from work and international taxes plus crash pad, etc. Net result was negative income flow.

During the furloughs of 2001, they used to do "no notice" furloughs where CPO met the plane at the gate and collected the unsuspecting FO's ID, a friend of mine had to use a buddy pass to get home. I think this was in an attempt to avoid too many just using sick time before furlough (if they announced it earlier).

After furlough, AA cut off all travel benefits, so if you were a drilling reservists that had moved to your AA domicile, too bad, so sad. They stood out in their harshness almost like they never expected or wanted their furloughed pilots to return.