Non rev travel is not a benefit.

Dude,
I wish priority went by mainline metal and some respect for seniority, but that ship sailed decades ago, probably around the time the last B727 was built.
I can say that you haven’t lived until you’ve been assigned a lower priority than a AMR computer programmer working on a project for a French Railway (circa 1990’s for those who weren’t watching Barney episodes during that time)

And again, there are several solutions to this, 1) move to base being the most important thing, 2) check in more proactively, but I realize as a commuter myself that’s not always possible, or, 3) fill out an app for delta. Just understand at places like delta, you will be junior for quite a long time which means lots of senior dudes could easily bump you last minute. Something to think about. I’ve talked to several delta guys that say they wish they had what AA has for non rev privileges.

Dang I thought this thread was going to be about how American Eagle accounts for like 45% of AA's total flying in comparison to ~30% at OAL.

It's weird.....it's almost like the bottom 30% like time of checkin and the top 30% enjoy a seniority based system.

Yes but if it's a mainline jet, an AA FDJ has "jumpseat priority" over Eagle FDJ, so check-in time isn't an issue. So an Eagle pilot won't "beat me to the JS" (in this example).

The seniority system at usairways was brutal. Resulted in senior people never even listing in advance. They would just show up 30 prior and a seat or a jump seat that seemed like you'd get to work or home ... Gone. No way to plan. The time of check in is fair. Sucks if you can't check in, but that's what wives are for.

This is what happens when they’re all AAG employees. Pilots can be beat out by gate agents and baggage handlers from the Wholly Owned also. Even the part time bag slingers whose mom got them a job at an outstation.

When I’ve flown with people that lament that we should return to a seniority based system for the JS, I always counter that it should be longevity based since our seniority list is such a mess. The conversation stops pretty quick after that since the only group that really brings it up are LAA (non-TWA) folks. Usually the groups that got the seniority rocket ship are pretty quiet about it.

Conversely those pilots can beat out 40+ year retired rampers or gate agents, or their kids, etc.. it’s actually a pretty good system. As a commuter I really like it.

What's wrong, you don't know how to set a timer/alarm to check in 24 hours in advance? God forbid we have 1 perk that lets junior people commute or actually enjoy the non rev benefits. If you've been here for decades, stop being a cheap crybaby and buy a ticket. AA20. GTFO

oh I mean they list for 2-3 JS on AA and a D1 on eagle for the same day

It would be a nice to have and item #1000 in the priority list and not a needs fixing like the PSA/Envoy JS thing I mentioned earlier, but I wouldn't mind a non-rev system where own metal gives you a slight edge. Time of check in still rules, but AA employees go above eagle on mainline in terms of getting a seat in the back. Flip side, PSA employee goes above us on the standby list on an PSA operated flight.

But again not even close to being a priority to chase after.

Oh no, this is much more important. 🙄

AAs JS policy is the best in the business.

NonRev I’m fine with. As a pilot I don’t need to try to wrestle the 12th non rev spot from the gate agent or FA listing for the same flight. I’m grown, make good money, and if I need to get somewhere, I buy a ticket.

As far as wholly owed pilots with D2 priority the same as ours, I don’t lose a wink of sleep. I have the JS if I need it 8 days out and the seats in the back, last time I checked, are not owned by me but by the company; they are free to dictate flight benefits at their discretion

Conversely, back when I was in the DAL world, I and several other pilots have lost rides home due to senior employees’ grown a** kids and companions (who have never worked a day in the industry) show up last second and bump everyone off, because “seniority.” What’s pathetic is how eagerly you’re willing to grease up and grab ankle for this type of punishment. AA’s nonrev system is worlds better. Just get a quicker check-in finger if you can’t handle it.

So you have apps in at Delta and United?

Like this is ridiculous, take it over to the line if you want to ***** at this level. That or you're just trying to ragebait or something.

You absolutely cannot check in to multiple flights.

At least pilots looking at coming to AA can look at this thread and see how well elitism is tolerated in and amongst the pilot group.

This entire thread is an argument for absorbing the wholly owned. One less thing (non rev/jumpseat priority) for people to ***** about.

And how would that work exactly? A scale B scale on pay? AA can't only hire regional folks when the competition still uses the regional model.

Look at college football and those who do not utilize the transfer portal and those that do. The ones that do are the ones who are in the playoffs.

UAL pilot here… Former AA WO, and former AA employee before flying.

AA has the industry leading non-rev policy/JS policy hands down….

Had the DL bennies back in the day and I can’t tell you how many times I thought I was getting on a flight home only to have 20 people list ahead of me 2-3 hours before departure time.

Agreed!, but no, you still have people that based just on their personal experience, have to sh*t on the entire airline and call out the pilot group……

Looks like thumper took a thumping.

I never said anything about it working. I was being a little sarcastic about people b******g about the company. If we made all regionals mainline, then there wouldn’t be an issue with JS on Eagle or Eagles non-reving on mainline.

But since you asked how it would work- well I would just bring everyone over now. When they flow over, they flow to the bottom of the seniority list. So just staple the entire lot to the bottom now- make everyone mainline. We already have “small narrow body” as a pay band in our contract. That’s what they would get paid. To haell with those that don’t want to come over/lose their seniority/give up positions at work. Keep all the 195s- remove Eagle from the livery.

Yes, I know -scope. But we are talking hypotheticals here.

Dude was already turned down by them, even after slaving away for 5 years at Endeavor.

If anything deserves attention, it’s our inability to use cabin jumpseats. Total 🐴💩, and I don’t even commute.

That's industry norm as far as I know, not AAL only problem.

DL can use cabin JS

If it’s not occupied by a DAL FA, DAL pilots are authorized to occupy FA jumpseats, on both domestic and international flights.

Curious: what happens at AA when you list for an AA flight and then shortly before departure an IROP hits and you’re forced to change your listing to another flight. Do you keep your original “seniority” you had on the standby list for the TU flight or do you get forced to the bottom of the new flight you list for?

Same. You're also junior to gate agents hired during the Regan administration, too.

​​​​​​​
You can have the gate agents roll it over, or you can change to a D1 pass, but in the case of an IROP, you're probably hosed either way.

why would an American ramper that works very hard every day and just wants to visit his dying mother have to be on the standby list behind some new hire fos screaming 3 year old?

How out of touch do you have to be to think there are pilots out there who still work for "Eagle"?

You don't want to see what it looks like with pure seniority space A travel. Imagine you're commuting, and the night before there are 15 seats. You put in for both a jumpseat and a seat in the back.

When you show up to the airport, you all of a sudden see that there are 20 listed for the 15 seats, 3/4 of which are 1990s hires FAs, their 20-year old kids, and their spouses, and a handful of senior captains. You're out of luck for the back of the plane. The jumpseat only shows you, though. You're going to make it!

Then, as you're waiting for a flight to board, a senior captain with a mustache, cell phone holster and tasseled penny loafers shows up at gate. He proceeds to grab the jump seat, and you're left stranded for your commute. The best you might get from him is a "sorry bud, best luck next time".

Many such cases. Don't ask for this, because it's hell.

Envoy captains make what $200+ish an hour now. Yup. It ain't eagle anymore.

It isn’t.

Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, and other carriers allow pilots to use cabin jumpseats.

I could be wrong- usually am- but it I think the author of the title of this thread and anyone else referring to “Eagle” just didn’t want to type out “wholly-owned” or Envoy/PSA/Piedmont. I don’t think they are out of touch (with who works for whom) at all. I think it was probably just easier/lazier to say “Eagle”.

We all know who “eagle” pilots work for.

The FA jumpseat issue is a legitimate problem, but it's entirely caused by the FA union APFA. The FAs intentionally lock pilots out of the jumpseat in a spiteful attempt to get flight deck jumpseat access. This is what happens when there's no quality control on FA conduct.

I'm willing to bet the company would prefer pilots have access to empty FA jumpseats since it would improve reliability and reduce commuter misses.

Agreed. Absolutely childish.

The APFA swooping in to piggyback our weight restricted jumpseat clause we negotiated was awesome too…