Actually, it's not that an emotional issue for me at all.

I understand COMPLETELY how MidEx pilots feel (a couple I know were there and former Eagle), but RAH pilots didn't do that, MidEx management did. Now, what's occuring regarding the seniority list issue is disturbing and not right, but this isn't the same situation.

Eagle orginally was born of perhaps 8 or so regional carriers with their own routes, colors, management, uniforms etc. This was back in the 80's before AA mangagement said "hey, lets align THEIR operations to benefit ours". The APA said, "sure, it makes business sense and we aren't interested in flying turboprops around to smaller cities, so as long as we have a clause that says they cannot fly xxx-size aircraft, it's o.k.with us".

Over time, your management abused this situation USING us. We (as pilots) have no say..............never have. Perhaps 1/3 of our flying ALWAYS was ours, 1/3 was yours given to us outside our control and the remaining 1/3 are newer routes previously flown by neither of our groups, but given to us to "develop" either to grow that market into something to support an AA aircraft or something that will not, but benefit AA by feed revenue. Most of us (myself included) would be happy to return your flying to you (it was yours to begin with), but that's not what the APA wants. They want to seize control of ALL of it and paternalistically deal with us as they see fit, seeing us not as fellow pilots and collegues, but as kids, hobbyists and/or wannabes unworthy of respect. Whether its declarations that AA pilots not be required to deadhead on Eagle aircraft or F. Lee Bailey declaring us unfit to operate jet aircraft, we've seen and heard enough. Of course, we're not all going to just quit and go on unemployment as that would be unrealistic.

The size of the carrier is immaterial when its pilot union is formally advocating the seizure of another carriers aircraft and flying. Those here who ARE emotional have somehow turned the reality of our conundrum upside down to rationalize the right to do this claiming that US (as pilots) and/or our union are doing the same. We are not and Eagle ALPA has not.

The 3 differences between the highlighted carriers and AA are correct; Regarding the first 2, the APA is advocating the seizure of all our planes and ops FIRST and then intends to deal with the disposition of our pilots SECOND with the ideal that it will be THEM that controls any such process and you can be sure, in their eyes, the APA will expect favoritism toward their native pilots regarding the unilateral seizure of our carrier (which really is what it is). This is the same as the above carriers and even OUR carrier (carriers brought in to perform anothers flying) except those carriers (and us) have not (to my knowledge) publicly and formally demanded any other carriers ENTIRE operation, thus they do not "believe that the airline world revolves around them and their interests" nor officially believe that "all flying is theirs unless they say otherwise".

Several points need to be reiterated here;

1. The APA has the right to demand THEIR flying back and most Eagle pilots agree.
2. The APA's concerns about limiting Eagle in size and future growth at their expense is understandable and proper.
3. Eagle has the right to its original flying as well and should not be subject to the tyranny of the APA for their self-serving purposes and their lust for complete domination.
4. It's in both sides interest that Flying that cannot be flown competitively by mainline AA ops, be allowed at Eagle as long as there are controls and tangible benefit for the pilots of AA.

The point of my post(s) on this issue are to counter the rabid dogs on this forum who continually howl how it's the PILOTS of Eagle who are the problem. They are misguided and correction is necessary, IMO. It is THEY that have allowed their emotion to aggrivate an already painful situation to fester.