Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

I have a lot of experience in the AA system and working with your management team. There’s a reason the union leadership from all of the WOs haven’t gone to AA. The pilots at APA are top notch folks just like at every airline. Your management is a train wreck.

That being said, thinking your APA leadership will somehow pull a rabbit out of a hat is a joke too. Let’s not forget that 6 or 7 years ago, a combined AA/USAir got a contract. And that contract was lauded by your membership only to be quickly surpassed by both Delta and United by a wide margin. And then American management GAVE additional raises to labor to not fall behind. So APA negotiated industry-lagging pay and work rules and your management “fixed” it.

American does some things better than Delta. Commuting was much more straight-forward under the American system. You have a much better commuter policy. You honestly have better bases from a geographic standpoint, but that’s just a personal opinion. Other than that, there really isn’t any single thing I can say is better. Pay and work rules ain’t it. Days off ain’t it. Quality of life for junior pilots definitely ain’t it. Upgrades ain’t it.

I would have been commuting to AA or DA either way. I gave up $100,000 flow bonus and had to repay the $30,000 CA bonus by leaving 4 months before I would have flowed. That alone should be a warning to people considering AA. I’ve seen how the AA sausage is made and I don’t want it. And I am not saying that Delta or United are magically better. We’ve all got problems. But AA and the management are something special.

If you live in an AA base you should 100% be considering it. But you should also be looking elsewhere. Learn what each airline has to offer and decide what’s more important. Driving to work or everything else being better. Maybe my point of view is a little skewed, I’ve been commuting for years and it really doesn’t phase me too much at this point, it’s just a part of the job and it’s worth it to me to live where my family and I like to live.