I’m curious about Americans “commuting rules”? At UA, you need two flights before show time, open seats don’t matter. If you don’t get on the first one, you call the crew desk, ask if they want to positive space you on the second one. If they say no and you don’t make it, you’re off the hook. Trip drops and you go home, no questions asked. What is the policy at AA?

Also how many vacation days at AA? I don’t believe they have profit sharing at all? Maybe that changed not sure. Not trying to say one is better than the other, I’m genuinely interested in how the contracts compare. 5 hour min calander day? Or is it by duty period?

 

Commuter policy at AA doesn't require any backup flights. AA jumpseat is on a reservation system. If you are the primary for the jumpseat it is yours (unless a fed shows up).
AA has 21 days vacation for new hires. I think UA tops out at a higher amount though. UA has the better min duty day, at AA it's 5:10 per duty period, so we have some 3 day trips that pay 10:20.
American doesn't have on airport reserve. Reserve callout for short call is "report promptly." I don't know where the upper limit of that is but 3 hours is common. AA has more retirements happening sooner and has hired less than United over the last few years. You will probably be better off seniority wise at AA. UA has the better contract but some of that will be offset by better seniority at AA. Contracts come and go, I wouldn't make a career decision based on who has the better contract right now.
AA does have profit sharing but it's much lower than United. I think it was about 3% of W2 earnings.

 

United's 2 flights for commutes needs to change. Both my last airlines, expressjet and JetBlue, only required 1 flight. Anyone know what delta requires?

 

Delta requires two flights to be covered by the unable to commute policy.

 

As in Short Term Disability? Sure if you're ok with $50/week.

Our short and Long term disability compensation are atrocious at AA.

 

$50 a week?? that is bad, sorry. Is LTD that bad also? Is medical insurance premiums high also?

I know that 2 flight thing would add hours to my inbound commute to ewr or Iad. The AA commute clause of 1 flight will make things much easier for me. Plus reserving it in advance would be nice.

We really highjacked that Marines thread., sorry.

 

You are getting a pretty good variety of info. As you gather it is not clear cut. Other than bases and aircraft, most of the other differences could flip on the next contract. Both are winners, as you would expect. Need to drill down to secondary preferences and situations.

Three questions that may help input:

1. Is a possible move to ORD something you are seriously considering or just a more remote option out there, if you really had to move?

2. What age are you?

3. Do you think you would have a strong interest when the time comes to fly wide body or are you really thinking of staying domestic?

Be sure to thank CHAOS for us if you run into him in the Pentagon. Most of us think the world of him, regardless of our political affiliations. The US is lucky to have him as SecDef.

 

So, you're saying you haven't flown anything in 2 years and you have an actual job offer from both UA and AA?

 

Go to A, you'll have a really really really really really great career.

Go to B, you'll have a really really really really great career.

Do you know when you'll figure out which one was greater? When your just shy of 65 years old walking off you last trip..............

 

Since UA’s LTD is similar to AA’s it must also be atrocious.

AA pays 60% of previous earnings capped at $8000.
UA pays 50% capped at $8000.

Advantage - AA

AA LTD cost - zero
UA LTD cost - small amount paid by pilot

Advantage - AA when you’re healthy (free). Maybe UA when you’re sick (no income tax because of the premiums??)

Both have income offsets.

APA contract experts, who actually are tasked with comparing contracts, said their preference for contracts, ignoring pay, was DL, AA, UA.

ANY Big 3 airline should be fine. Live in a base? That’s your #1 choice, by far. I’d keep pursuing #1 for at least a year if you got hired at ‘not #1’.