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-   -   Basic questions about QOL at AA (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/american/135801-basic-questions-about-qol-aa.html)

PRS Guitars 12-05-2021 10:33 PM


Originally Posted by Galt1074 (Post 3331518)
I'm thinking of moving to AAL and I'd like some input. I've got an interview scheduled later this week.
I'm currently a 737 FO for UAL and I was hired in August. I really love it here and I think the company is great BUT I live about 1.5hrs west of DFW and I never plan on moving. The idea of driving to work rather than commuting is more appealing every time I commute out here to our junior base in SFO.
I'd be giving up about 700 in seniority that I've already gained and I'll be somewhere around 60% in SFO next month already. I haven't had any problems commuting and I love the company but I'm envious of the idea of driving myself to work and being able to sit reserve from home instead of a crashpad. Being with AAL in DFW would give me a lot more flexibility...at least that's what I think.
I've talked to lots of folks I know and I've gotten the full spectrum of answers from "you're crazy to give up seniority and the UAL contract to go to AAL" all the way to "living where you work is a game-changer and you'll never regret it".
Anything you have would be helpful. Benefits differences, pass travel, future contract prospects, Quality of life, DFW seniority...anything.
So...what say you?

August hire? No brainer, go to AA, you can’t compare 700 under you to what you’ll have at AA, no way to know. DFW is rapidly becoming a JR base for NB CA’s. FO’s hold it within months. I had the opposite choice to make, but at the 1.5 year mark living in a UAL hub. I wasn’t for sure going to not move like you are. I chose to stay at AA, I’m fine with it, but with hindsight would have made a different decision. Honestly anything under 1 year, I would have bailed in a heart beat. Your situation, yeah AA. You live near our Mega base, and can easily sit SC reserve from home. I flew exactly zero hours last month on SC, though I did use some sick time.

thrust 12-06-2021 04:17 AM


Originally Posted by Galt1074 (Post 3331518)
I'm thinking of moving to AAL and I'd like some input. I've got an interview scheduled later this week.
I'm currently a 737 FO for UAL and I was hired in August. I really love it here and I think the company is great BUT I live about 1.5hrs west of DFW and I never plan on moving. The idea of driving to work rather than commuting is more appealing every time I commute out here to our junior base in SFO.
I'd be giving up about 700 in seniority that I've already gained and I'll be somewhere around 60% in SFO next month already. I haven't had any problems commuting and I love the company but I'm envious of the idea of driving myself to work and being able to sit reserve from home instead of a crashpad. Being with AAL in DFW would give me a lot more flexibility...at least that's what I think.
I've talked to lots of folks I know and I've gotten the full spectrum of answers from "you're crazy to give up seniority and the UAL contract to go to AAL" all the way to "living where you work is a game-changer and you'll never regret it".
Anything you have would be helpful. Benefits differences, pass travel, future contract prospects, Quality of life, DFW seniority...anything.
So...what say you?

You’ll be able to hold DFW by the time you get done with training. You’ll likely never actually commute to LGA/LAX.

I’m not too familiar with UAL pass travel. My family has used AA pass travel with a lot of success. I wish we at mainline had a priority over our wholly owned regionals, but I doubt that changes. You can book the jumpseat at 8pm central time 8 days prior to travel, and it’s 99% yours (fed, etc aside). First Come First Served. Don’t have to worry about some geriatric taking the jumpseat at the last minute… my UAL buddies would happily take AA’s jumpseat system.

In general, it seems AA’s reserve is better, if only for lack of that airport standby and global reserve BS.

Re: future contract, the union just sent out some negotiating updates and it sounds like the stuff AA lags in- scheduling, reassignments, recovery obligation, premium, hotels, deadheads, LTD, etc- will be at a minimum brought up to industry standard, and perhaps industry leading. The company is in panic mode over a CKA shortage and APA finally appears to want to utilize its leverage, and AA has agreed to fix the egregious stuff. We will see.

UAL has more widebodies, if that motivates you. It doesn’t have any widebodies out of DFW, though.

AA’s retirements are staggering, and you’re very much still at the front of the wave. UAL’s retirements aren’t as good, but are still amazing.

Once AA catches up on work rules, the biggest drawback will continue to be incompetent management. There’s no sugar coating it- AA management sucks. Then again, every airline is a management change away from success or train wreck. UAL was a dumpster fire under Smisek. Munoz comes in and changed the entire course of the company. Parker, Isom, et al can’t run this ship into the ground forever…. can they?

If you had 2+ years at UAL, I’d say stay… and move to a UAL domicile. Since you’re under that, go to AA… or FedEx.

El Peso 12-06-2021 06:43 AM


Originally Posted by Galt1074 (Post 3331518)
I'm thinking of moving to AAL and I'd like some input. I've got an interview scheduled later this week.
I'm currently a 737 FO for UAL and I was hired in August. I really love it here and I think the company is great BUT I live about 1.5hrs west of DFW and I never plan on moving. The idea of driving to work rather than commuting is more appealing every time I commute out here to our junior base in SFO.
I'd be giving up about 700 in seniority that I've already gained and I'll be somewhere around 60% in SFO next month already. I haven't had any problems commuting and I love the company but I'm envious of the idea of driving myself to work and being able to sit reserve from home instead of a crashpad. Being with AAL in DFW would give me a lot more flexibility...at least that's what I think.
I've talked to lots of folks I know and I've gotten the full spectrum of answers from "you're crazy to give up seniority and the UAL contract to go to AAL" all the way to "living where you work is a game-changer and you'll never regret it".
Anything you have would be helpful. Benefits differences, pass travel, future contract prospects, Quality of life, DFW seniority...anything.
So...what say you?

I wouldn’t walk but run to AA if I were you. Live near DFW and don’t plan to move? I think you know the answer. You’ll know if you made the right decision while you’re in basic indoc/initial training and you’re driving home on the weekends (Or every night if you’re really ambitious).

sanicom3205 12-06-2021 06:57 AM


Originally Posted by Arado 234 (Post 3329671)
Don't forget the hand motion that was involved with the gear up call. Been there since the DC2, only taken out of the training manual recently.

When they don’t even wait for you to say “positive rate” **chef’s kiss**

nimslow 12-06-2021 07:25 AM


Originally Posted by PRS Guitars (Post 3331558)
August hire? No brainer, go to AA, you can’t compare 700 under you to what you’ll have at AA, no way to know. DFW is rapidly becoming a JR base for NB CA’s. FO’s hold it within months. I had the opposite choice to make, but at the 1.5 year mark living in a UAL hub. I wasn’t for sure going to not move like you are. I chose to stay at AA, I’m fine with it, but with hindsight would have made a different decision. Honestly anything under 1 year, I would have bailed in a heart beat. Your situation, yeah AA. You live near our Mega base, and can easily sit SC reserve from home. I flew exactly zero hours last month on SC, though I did use some sick time.

Unless you call sick for every trip, I'd say the chance of not flying on SC for the full month in DFW on a narrow body is pretty much zero. Since every other base flys through DFW, we cover broken trips from other baes all the time. I cant speak for the fo's, but as a ca on short call, it's very rare for me to have more than two, or three days a month I don't fly. I've timed out more than a few times, and usual SC month is around 70 hours.

I believe the other narrow body bases are probably about the same, but we average 30% reserve coverage, both ca's and fo's.

On the line holder side, for December in DFW (737) 41% of our pairings were 4 day trips, and just over 5% were 5 day's.

I didn't look at January yet, but my fo says it looks about the same.

ZeroTT 12-06-2021 07:33 AM


Originally Posted by El Peso (Post 3331636)
Live near DFW and don’t plan to move? I think you know the answer.

This.

If there's any constant to airline advice over time and space, it is drive to base. Even if you had perfect knowledge of life at AA and UAL today, who knows what it will be in 5 years. But AA isn't leaving DFW and neither are you. Go to American.

AAL24 12-06-2021 08:02 AM


Originally Posted by Al Czervik (Post 3330812)
Like the MIA 777 pilot that gave the backwards peace sign to his FO for VNAV shortly after TO. FO thought he meant flaps 2. He got flaps 2 with a slow, heavy, 777.

Hmm. There is no flaps 2 on the 777

Al Czervik 12-06-2021 08:04 AM

Basic questions about QOL at AA
 

Originally Posted by AAL24 (Post 3331671)
Hmm. There is no flaps 2 on the 777


BB is lying on “the line” then!!!!!

I assume it was 737.

AAL24 12-06-2021 08:12 AM


Originally Posted by Al Czervik (Post 3331673)
BB is lying on “the line” then!!!!!

which thread title?

Al Czervik 12-06-2021 08:13 AM


Originally Posted by AAL24 (Post 3331676)
which thread title?


Not sure. Check his post history.


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