To the subject of the thread...
Most companies that merge do not grow. Clearly I don't care one bit for team Tempe but to think that AA would grow post merger is crazy. Long term we probably will grow slightly, internationally. Big picture from my vantage point.. We are basically buying a brand new fleet and financing it all with good interest rates while using the cash to do multiple stock buybacks.

 

Uhhh, yea they are. I think our contracts afford is better qol than many of the others, but FO pay, specifically first year FO pay is a far cry from many of the others. And also factor in many airlines are offering 10-15K in bonuses. PSA is showing signs of stagnation and can barely hire for attrition at the moment. Envoy is ultimately shrinking and a new hire can expect a lengthy amount of time on reserve. And I honestly have no clue about PDT? But the biggest issue with PDT has always been commutable bases. I know PHL changes that but I wouldn't expect that to last for long as an attainable base for a new hire as your seniority list fills up.

And my point about the flow is that it isn't really all that attractive in and of itself to get new hires to come to one of the wholly owned regionals. At least not in its current form. I personally don't think 8 years to a major is a big deal. It will likely be 5 or 6 for me and I'm not complaining about that. But I'm also not counting on it either. I'm doing everything I can to get out before that happens. If AAG wants to staff it's regionals and ultimately have pilots flow for mainline, it takes one thing... Money.

 

So far, post merger, the net change is growth.

 

Mainline fleet count change for 2016 (-37)

55 deliveries and 92 retirements. True regional count (+20) FWIW.
Not saying less planes will necessarily mean less pilots but the numbers are there.

 

Of the 92 retirements how many were flying? I think that is what slice is getting at.

 

Several years ago there were a couple dozen a/c that weren't scheduled that could have been. The company provided us with that data. They no longer give us that data.

Those a/c have been replaced by newer a/c. The system's only chance to probably mitigate the loss of airframes is to fly the newer a/c at a higher daily utilization rate. But that only goes so far. Up until now pay hours has increased. Continued reductions makes it harder and harder to avoid pay hour reductions.

 

You're talking about Delta, not AA.

Delta/Northwest combined fleet in 2008 at time of merger: 786
Delta as of Jan 2016: 809

Source
Source

 

Combined AA mainline fleet at time of merger (end of 2013)

622+343= 965
End of 2016 projection: 909

Combined AA regional fleet at time of merger:
280+278= 558
End of 2016 projection: 607

 

United fleet as of fall 2015:

Growing mainline, shrinking regionals.

 

Thank you A321.

Had regurgitated numbers from our C&R without the specifics.

All old news, there will continue to be less aircraft at the new American. Once we have full integration from the merger, there will be redundancy in the system and schedule trimming. Capacity could very well remain stable (larger airplanes), but I doubt you will see an increase. Same goes for pilots, attrition but not real growth.

Ive thought this from the start, but I strongly believe we will see parity with DA and UA for size, excluding all the regional stuff.

I don't see this as horrible but it is less then honest to portray AA as a growing company. We will be lucky to stay the same size even with all the new metal.