Originally Posted by
highfarfast
Never underestimate the NB seniority kick that comes from everyone else chasing the WB dream. I don't have any interest in doing WB flying either and made sure I went to a legacy.
That said, living in base matters. It matters a lot. It's worth A LOT of seniority. You didn't indicate whether you'd commute if needed from MCO or move to a base elsewhere but there are airlines with domiciles in MCO.
Bingo. Top 2000 active seniority numbers at AA right now - 800 w/b CA's, 400 n/b CA's, 100 w/b FO's, 10 n/b FO's. Roughly 1,300 of 2,000 active line pilots. Two thirds are out of your way if you stay as a n/b CA. The advancement as a n/b FO is even greater because of the w/b flying.
Neighbor is 26% of all FO's. But so many guys go to the w/b he's 8% of all n/b FO's. There's a world of difference between being 8% in a bid status and 26%.
To get the biggest bang for your buck you stay as a n/b CA in a w/b base. N/b base only? At 2000 seniority you'll be 15% of n/b CA's system wide at AA. In a w/b base and you stay on n/b's? You'll be at 6% overall.
If someone says "I'm not interested in w/b flying" they're completely missing the boat as to the reasons why guys fly them *OR* the benefit they get from a LOT of guys senior to them LEAVING the n/b bid status and THEY benefit from it by staying on the n/b. "I have no interest in w/b flying" is the same as saying "I don't care if my relative seniority improves." No one says that. The n/b guys benefit the most from the w/b flying as far as bidding power goes.