All employees of AA--whether pilots or baggage throwers--have to pay a fee to non-rev in first or business class. The fee ranges from around $22 for a short hop domestic flight to maybe $125 for a long-range international flight. We even pay a non-rev fee for domestic coach during our first 5 years of service--they start at $11 per leg, but as a young commuter those fees would add up...

That's sometimes why you may see AA non-revs flooding the back of a flight while first class may still have availability. I would think that would bode well for jumpseaters getting 1st class as you don't pay for it...so I hope you do!