How is the commute for an AA pilot compared to a regional pilot?
It always seems like there are more commuters at the mainlines compared to regionals. Many AA folks I've talked to seem to have an easier time manipulating their schedules for less commutes per month.
Some say they are able to move 4 three days into 2 6 days.
Provided a person can get off of reserve what are my chances of only making 3-4 commutes per month vs. what is usually 4-5 at my regional .
I'm sure a lot depends on equipment/base so I am talking about typical shorthaul and maybe some insight to when a person could hold long haul .

 

The commute at AA could get a lot better... Doesn't look like it though.

 

It all depends what the future airline does and what happens with the rest of the world. Meteor strike, China eats Taiwan, the Spratelys and sinks the Vinson and the Lincoln, Ebola Part III wipes out 900 million, ect, ect.

Barring the above, with a modest growing stable company and you are hired today, your commuting style will require you to become senior in the FO widebody seat and staying there. Narrowbody? The commute for a long time is probably the same as the Regionals. If you get senior to grab a schedule with decent turns, then you can drop and pick up to improve your schedule.

The wild card is PBS, who knows what will happen, nobody knows. Another wild card is future home basing and system wide trip trade and pick up. These are unknown also.

The good news is if things keep going ok, the retirements go hog wild at AA after 2020 or so. Seniority makes life easier.
The past is no predictor of the future. Narrowbody reserve was the norm for 15+ plus years. Now it's going more junior.

 

Commuting at LUS is cake with our Jumpseat reservation system. One we go the way of AA, the commute will get infinitely more difficult with a more senior pilot able to bump you off within ten minutes of departure. There will be one guy who won't worry about that though.

 

Cue the response of "We have always done it that way" and "seniority has to count for something".

 

Last I heard the US Jumpseat system should prevail or that's what I thought.

 

even if we keep the airways style it sucks that most AA planes only have 1 jumpseat where most of ours have 2.

Also at legacy AA can you be bumped off the jumpseat for a weight restriction?

 

Yes.

Also, I was on an AA j/s recently. Captain was formerly on the J/s Committee. He said "AA will NEVER give up seniority for the j/s. It's not going to happen so don't even think it will." He was pretty emphatic.

 

I thought the proposal of the hybrid reservation system was reasonable, whereby 7 days to 48 hours prior is seniority based, and 48 hours to departure is first come first served. And certainly we need to keep the language that prevents you from being bumped for weight and balance concerns. Make it so.

 

I've got to plead ignorance on this, but what does "bumped due to weight and balance considerations" mean at AA?

I know on the RJ, you can get into a situation where the JS can't be occupied. You need a lot of ballast to get back in CG, but when you try that, you will be overweight.

I'm assuming that in the context you guys are referring to, "weight and balance considerations" means something else. Could someone enlighten me?