Have Eagle's travel benefits changed at all since the last post? Is it still:

Pay to non-rev on AA in a passenger seat ($15 for "short flights")?

It makes it harder to justify commuting when you get charged for it, but I assume people still do?

What about non-reving on Eagle itself? I'd sure as hell hope that's free for Eagle pilots.

Yes, you pay to non-rev on both AA and Eagle. A lot of people complain but talk to anyone at skywest and asa and they will tell you the same thing...they pay to sit in the back also.

What hasn't been mentioned is how great AA/AE's standby travel priority is compared to all the other majors. It's based only on check in time, not seniority. I really like the system. I have friends all around the industry and I can confidently say our non-rev system is as good as anyone else's.

ASA and skywest pilots do not pay to ride in the back AFAIK. They don't get charged to get to/from work either. Really that seems to be the only drawback to AE benefits. God forbid you have a two leg commute but that's just stupid anyway. Thanks for the info.

its immediate unlimited travel for you, wife and kids. You do get jumpseat even if seats are open in back and no, its not ilegal. (it used to be like that but the rule changed a few years ago)

Domestic travel becomes free after 5 years with company for you, wife and kids.

24 one ways per calendar year for 12 people of your choosing. (parents use that 24 one way bank but they travel under same employee priority and fee )

401k company match after 1st year

Health, vision and dental after 1st month with company

2 weeks of paid vacation (3 weeks after 5 years) (4 weeks after 15)

Not to mention we have not succumbed to PBS yet so that 2 weeks of vacation can easily be turned in to 4 or 5 weeks off if you are a line holder.

This whole paying to get to work doesn't give me the warm fuzzies about commuting at Eagle. Can OAL pilots get a free ride with CASS? But you have to pay to ride? Not cool.

if on the jumpseat you dont pay.

I hope you don't get audited, because you are mistaken. You are confusing traveling FOR business and traveling TO your business or work. The latter (which is what airline pilot commuting entails) is NOT deductible.

Below I have posted an example from Pub 463. (your tax home is defined as your principle place of business i.e. your airline domicile)

My source is a good friend , who is a CPA and tax attorney with a masters in tax law, and he does my taxes.

Tax Home Different From Family Home

If you (and your family) do not live at your tax home (defined earlier), you cannot deduct the cost of traveling between your tax home and your family home. You also cannot deduct the cost of meals and lodging while at your tax home. See Example 1 that follows.
If you are working temporarily in the same city where you and your family live, you may be considered as traveling away from home. See Example 2, below.
Example 1.
You are a truck driver and you and your family live in Tucson. You are employed by a trucking firm that has its terminal in Phoenix. At the end of your long runs, you return to your home terminal in Phoenix and spend one night there before returning home. You cannot deduct any expenses you have for meals and lodging in Phoenix or the cost of traveling from Phoenix to Tucson. This is because Phoenix is your tax home.

Hey this is not really part of the subject but has to do with AE.
I found this comment on the Gouge for AE and caught my attention since I always heard that if you ever failed a check-ride you have to be honest, talk positively about it, say what you learned and you'll do just fine. But now somebody posted this, is it any true?

"If you've ever failed a check-ride, don't waste your time with this airline. You'll walk into Dallas, they'll ask everyone in the room if they've failed a check-ride, and if so, they'll tell you to get out. (06/23/10)"

Thanks guys

That's ludicrous if we're doing that to people! Busting a CFI ride is not all that uncommon. I hope this is not true.