Pros and cons
11-06-2019, 12:44 PM
#32
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Joined APC: Sep 2019
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by HobGoblin
What had you been doing since Comair shutdown in 2012? You have experience with Skywest and Endeavor culture and work rules to compare it to envoy? Or any other regional at all except Comair?
I find it funny you recommend a non union carrier after your experience with comair. Also you talk about the combative and abrasive AA culture, yet Delta shut you guys down for standing up to them. Do you think they’ve changed now? What would be some examples of the AA culture you think is wildly different than other regionals?
For me, eagle has been fine. I went through the bankruptcy and the shrinking. Our pilot group and union thought we had much more power than we did, and the company smacked us into place. It sucked, but that’s capitalism, that’s what the regionals are like without a regional wide union. Regionals grow at the expense of others.
The majority of my career here has been fine. New hires have way more advantages than we had 8 years ago. These sign on bonuses, the overall pay scale, 200 percent OT, commuter hotels, the ipads with digital releases and jepps and mobile cci, training is kinder and easier.
Reserve can suck, that’s the next part of the contract that needs improvement. I wouldn’t write off the airline because of that.
The pays good, the training center is good, the movement here is fast and guaranteed. The flow is great to have in your back pocket, (I and a thousand other pilots at AA are glad to have had it). You have Exactly the same travel benefits as an AA pilot on the whole AA network.
There’s a lot to be said about being a wholly owned when it comes to job security, ala compass unfortunately. I and my class mates haven’t had any real issues with the chief pilots office, which is our management. You also do have a union, which despite the complaining we all do, means a lot, and has saved many a guy his job or gotten it back.
I find it funny you recommend a non union carrier after your experience with comair. Also you talk about the combative and abrasive AA culture, yet Delta shut you guys down for standing up to them. Do you think they’ve changed now? What would be some examples of the AA culture you think is wildly different than other regionals?
For me, eagle has been fine. I went through the bankruptcy and the shrinking. Our pilot group and union thought we had much more power than we did, and the company smacked us into place. It sucked, but that’s capitalism, that’s what the regionals are like without a regional wide union. Regionals grow at the expense of others.
The majority of my career here has been fine. New hires have way more advantages than we had 8 years ago. These sign on bonuses, the overall pay scale, 200 percent OT, commuter hotels, the ipads with digital releases and jepps and mobile cci, training is kinder and easier.
Reserve can suck, that’s the next part of the contract that needs improvement. I wouldn’t write off the airline because of that.
The pays good, the training center is good, the movement here is fast and guaranteed. The flow is great to have in your back pocket, (I and a thousand other pilots at AA are glad to have had it). You have Exactly the same travel benefits as an AA pilot on the whole AA network.
There’s a lot to be said about being a wholly owned when it comes to job security, ala compass unfortunately. I and my class mates haven’t had any real issues with the chief pilots office, which is our management. You also do have a union, which despite the complaining we all do, means a lot, and has saved many a guy his job or gotten it back.
11-06-2019, 01:23 PM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,510
Originally Posted by CheewiesCopilot
In what sense does reserve suck ? I don't personally really care for flying my ass off if that's the case or not. I don't mind chilling and watching Netflix either lol
Standby, eight hour shift, sitting ready at the airport.
RAP, reserve availability period. 14 hours long, two hour call out.
There is no long call. If you are on reserve, you have to be in domicile, basically bags packed and uniform at hand and ready to go out on a flight that could last through the last day of your reserve sequence.
You can “see” who has been called and how many are between you and getting called, but not always a good indication of how close you are to call out.
If you don’t live in base, you have to be there. Assignments for the next day are confirmed at 1700 central time. For most commuters, this means you have to be commuting before you know for sure if you have a flight, a standby or a RAP and what time that is. You don’t get used for an overnight, you need a place to stay. You have a late shift, you have to check out most places at 1100, so either you’re a vagrant for a few hours or you pay for another night. A lot of uncertainty.
If you live in base, less than about 30-45 minutes from being at the terminal, life is much better.
Reserve is also only guaranteed 11 days a month off. You can not go below eight days a month off, so only three days max you MIGHT can pick up OT and there are restrictions on what time frame you are eligible to pick up OT, so usually slim pickings.
11-06-2019, 01:34 PM
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Posts: 137
Originally Posted by CheewiesCopilot
In what sense does reserve suck ? I don't personally really care for flying my ass off if that's the case or not. I don't mind chilling and watching Netflix either lol
11-06-2019, 03:23 PM
#35
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,271
Originally Posted by LHSmith
Well, let's see. I was a Check Airmen on the DC10 and 757 for many years, for starters (If you'd like an aviation accolade measuring contest, I am more than up to your challenge and willing to bet I will prevail that contest of logbooks, type ratings, and experience). Then, I took a break from aviation to become a police officer and contribute - rather than watch from the sidelines, since many were being slaughtered along with continuously degraded in the public eye.
I wasn't going to go there but, since you opened that can of worms, okay - here we go. I wouldn't be so quick to enter 'macho' conversation regarding the union and their prowess (lack thereof) at ENY. I'll just leave it at that. You go get yourself an ALPA star pin and we will talk 'union talk' big boy. I'd just leave the union out of this if I were you. Unless you are one of the idiots here that touts on social media about "I want to strike" or "I can't wait to strike"; complete and total moronic thinking. Until you've been through one, you'd never realize the ramifications of such and the desire to make it an utter last resort. So don't bring up nor tell me about union substance. Again, I've got you beat there too. But hey, you're an 8 year ENY tenure (in this hiring climate), you obviously know it all.
I wasn't going to go there but, since you opened that can of worms, okay - here we go. I wouldn't be so quick to enter 'macho' conversation regarding the union and their prowess (lack thereof) at ENY. I'll just leave it at that. You go get yourself an ALPA star pin and we will talk 'union talk' big boy. I'd just leave the union out of this if I were you. Unless you are one of the idiots here that touts on social media about "I want to strike" or "I can't wait to strike"; complete and total moronic thinking. Until you've been through one, you'd never realize the ramifications of such and the desire to make it an utter last resort. So don't bring up nor tell me about union substance. Again, I've got you beat there too. But hey, you're an 8 year ENY tenure (in this hiring climate), you obviously know it all.
11-07-2019, 09:09 PM
#37
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2018
Posts: 108
Originally Posted by CO Jones
RAP in NYC (LGA/JFK) has a 3-hour call out and the company used to pay for the first 3 months of hotels (not sure if this has changed).
11-08-2019, 04:13 AM
#38
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,643
Originally Posted by speedbrakearmed
It hasn't from what I understand. 3 hour call out and 3 months of paid hotel for the days you're on call for people who have recently exited a long term training event (new hires or CA upgrades) still apply from my understanding.
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