So I guess that classes are going to be going from 2 classes of 30 a month to 50. 2 classes of 50 new hires along with upgrades and current pilots going to new equipment. They might want that much but actually being able to do it is another thing. I'm all for it though.

If those AA furloughees dont want to come back right away then they could rip through that recall list pretty damn fast, which would work into the next group of ~254 AE CAs to chose yes or no on flowing to AA, and then we would be getting into the 824 additional AE CAs when AA hires off the street. Also, we are seeing an uptick in losing some Eagle CAs to DAL, Jetblue, VX, etc.


I hear ya. I think it is getting hard to find good people with 1000/100. Gone are the days of dropping mins to 250/50 to attract pilots.

not gone yet - compliance window is wide open

Ok, just got the Air Wisconsin job offer and American Eagle this week. Kindof a hectic week interviewing at both but it was a great experience. Now I am just listing pro's and con's of both. Pay is relatively the same (as long as I get the jet at Eagle, which I am not too worried about...or should I be? lol) but the one thing that I didn't factor was the benefits. Air Wiskey wants quite a bit for the family plan (I am married with 2) at close to $350 for Medical alone. How much can I expect to pay at eagle for my family per month/paycheck?

Also, because I am leaning towards AE I am planning to bid for Chicago EMB first and then JFK/LGA EMB I think. I just want the jet where I will sit reserve the shortest time and that is my best guess. Although the CRJ would be better pay it sounds like there is less movement there. No?

Any other pro or cons to go on my list? So far I have:
Domiciles, benefits, QOL including commute and work rules, company future i.e. AE being sold vs Air Wisconsin contract up in 2015, and travel benefits. Any suggestions on how travel benefits should be evaluated would be helpful. For example how many buddy passes? Does AE really charge you for your commute leg? ect. Once again, thank you for all the help you have all given, especially Flyby.

Congrats on getting two job offers! It shouldnt be a problem getting a jet slot at Eagle. The ERJ and CRJ FO payscales are the same, so no issues with payscale differences. I think the EMB is a better choice for moving up quickly since the overwhelming majority of recent upgrades are coming from ERJ FOs, and there arent many CRJ FOs who will be moving on to upgrade in the next few years.

I dont have the medical bennies from the company (on my wife's plan) but I am sure someone can chime in on the cost.

Unfortunately, we do get charged for traveling on AA/AE unless you are given the cockpit jumpseat. It varies by segment, but is generally $12-15 per leg for coach class. That can add up if you take AA/AE to and from work each week. I always took another carrier to work before I hit 5yrs (after 5yrs domestic coach class is free). If you get ORD or JFK/LGA there should be plenty of options for your commute, as long as you arent coming from some tiny city only served by AA/AE. Check passrider.com to get an idea of your options. Also keep in mind these charges apply to you, your spouse, children, and parents all traveling on your pass!

And about passes... You, your spouse, and your dependent children all get unlimited D2 travel passes (D2 is the pass level we use 90% of the time on AA/AE). Additionally, you have an annual travel pass bank of 24 one-way passes to be used by your parents, other family members or friends in any combination you like (the charges also apply to these passes).

Its a tough decision either way, and both companies are quality places to be. Good luck!

I have a wife and 2, I pay $335/month for medical and dental for all of us, and vision for myself and my wife. It is set to go up about $20/month next year.

PM me if you want some more details.

Are we allowing folks to pick where they wanna be based again? I don't think you have a choice of equipment, but keep your toes crossed.

As I understand it they will put up a bunch of bases with aircraft type and the oldest gets to pick. So yes you get to pick and no. You go where they need us and you get to pick from whatever they offer. On that note, does anyone know where the last class bid went? Anyone put on the ATR?

The word is that they are holding off on the flowplan until the Jan bid results come out to minimize staffing shortages resulting from people bidding high time lines and then leaving for training. Expect something Monday/Tuesday. Also there may have been some delay caused by the problem of backfilling atr fo's because many of the atr guys will be the first to attend training based on seniority.

Dec 6 class:

1 CRJ ORD
2 ERJ DFW
4 ATRs between DFW and MIA (don't remember the exact number)

So yes, 4 guys went to the ATR and I think will be like that since a lot of ATRs guys are moving to the jet.