Probably so they don't spend their last 5 years commuting/sitting shortcall reserve and overall being at the bottom of the totem pole schedule and qol wise.

The bigger question is why you think lifers taking flow slots from more junior captains will result in more upgrades.

Agreed. However, it would increase bidding power for said junior captains. But I would take flow versus first or second choice lines at Envoy.


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I agree, I'd rather have bidding power sooner at AA than stay here an extra day.

I seriously doubt it. If anyone has turned down an interview or God help them a job offer from DAL, SWA, or UAL based on potentially flowing they don't have the mental capacity to fly airliners.

So, you think it would be foolish to stay with AA if that meant living in base and not having to commute to a UAL base for the next 25 years? Seems like a rather rational decision, considering an anticipated flow date within 4 months, not to mention the higher percentage of mandatory retirements at AA Vs. UAL/DL over the next 15 years.

So, it's more rational to give up hundreds of seniority numbers, because base? How about something happening that would stop everything in its tracks, and furloughs begin. Someone gets to still remain employed, and someone else one number below him gets to be homebased for many years.

But nothing could go wrong, right?

Yes, absolutely, if you have a family or other reasons that are important to you. These are just jobs and one legacy (regional, cargo, etc) is quite similar to the next at the end of the day (paychecks not always withstanding, though similar within classification). It took me a long time and a couple of furloughs to figure that out.

And of course something could go wrong, this is life in a deteriorating society. But if you cannot control it you just have to save a little cash and enjoy the ride as best you can.

Something could go wrong in any plan. Also add to the equation the number of younger pilots hired at DAL/UAL compared to AA and the resulting relative seniority a late 30s new hire today would have at the end of their career and the decision becomes even murkier.