they are trying to reduce costs. back in january they had this report come out that showed how they compared to other large regionals like skywest, xpress jet, and rah. The findings were that eagle costs significantly more because they have higher seniority crews. The report also said that to make them more cost compettitve with the other regionals they needed to get rid of the senior ca's and fo's to bring down the amount of money they are spending on the crews per flight.

True I wasnt forced to take the job but I did not have a choice. And I did not run back home to my parents, I left so that I could spend more time at home and eventually not have to commute and maybe be a captain one day.

The point of the thread is that Eagle is short of pilots. I don't think AMR cares about it's 8 year Eagle co-pilots, or it's pilot shortage. If they did, they did they would have raised pay a long time ago and they wouldn't be fiddling around with meager $500 bonuses.

They are making the pilot shortage much worse by getting rid of pilots on both ends. Back in 2000, AA put on the table a commuter supplement LOA, a concept that would somehow make AA and Eagle one big happy family. If I had to speculate, could be something like that is on the horizon. Getting rid of the senior pilots makes that concept a little easier. JMHO

I disagree, I think he should share his experience. Even if - no, especially if it might discourage someone from going to SJU.

"The rock" is definitly not for everyone. His perspective is valid, and a valuable piece of information for someone considering going to SJU. Likewise, his bad experience there has prompted others to relate thier good experiences. Which they would not have done if not for his "discouraging" post.

Eagle is at best a huge road block to an aspiring Major Airline pilot's career path or a career killer as I saw it.

You seem to always defend a career at Eagle one way or the other on this board. I think it would be fairer to have everyone tell their side, which is probably overwhelmingly negative in parity with inverse order of the Eagle seniority list, than to have someone with their own agenda to purport the wonders of Eagle life and career. Anyone who has done any investigation as to the state of Eagle would call that bluff.

Don’t Eagle pilots get a bonus from the company for people that they recommend and get hired? Since Eagle’s staffing is awful, wouldn’t it desperately help an Eagle pilot to have more new hires on board, FO’s and CA’s alike? Haven’t some upgrades been canceled due to lack of staffing of FO’s? Aren’t there CA’s having to fly the right seat because of the shortage of FO’s? The answer to those questions would sound like reasons for trying to encourage pilots to go to Eagle, not because it is in their best interest.

Unfortunately, they have recently had to cancel some Saab upgrades because they couldnt afford to remove FOs from jet flying to upgrade them to prop CA. Basically we are so short on FOs we cant have them upgrade to CA, but at the same time they are trying to get rid of all our senior CAs. Something is definitely up and they are expecting either a MASSIVE influx of applicants, or a MASSIVE reduction in aircraft. As stated by OldFreightDawg, I believe some sort of career progression opportunity from AE to AA will be negotiated, something better than the existing letter 3. Either way, it will be interesting.

i am a pilot and find it amazing that for months and months our union WAS SCARED to do anything about staffing. now a change. expect letter 3 to continue as is, it is what amr wants.

i am one of the few WHO ACTUALLY FILED A GRIEVANCE for continual violations of letter 37 section C. have you? the union was scared of this because the company might park airplanes if proven to be understaffed. what has changed now?

the union complains on one side of its mouth about poor staffing then negotiates a pilot replacement program on the other side to get rid of the senior pilots (as part of the bain fallout). what is it DR and HM? the leadership of the union organized a recall of the DFW CA rep to solidify their reelection bid. they are part of the "win together work together" BS mentality and should not have been reelected.

No way Jose.

AA should be seeing off the street hiring by the beginning/middle of 2009. At the current deferral rate, EVEN with the Eagle arbitration, we should be through the end of the furlough list by fall 2008.

The only thing that would slow that down would be unforeseen events out of our control. But believe me, they are going gangbusters getting everyone back.

73

it must be nice to have the junior paisan back at AA. he was great to fly with at eagle, even though he was a steelers fan.

Do you have any idea on what the deferal rate at American is. I hear at United it is running at 20%.