Blame yourself for not listing earlier. Still it's the best non rev system out there for employees.

 

Somebody has been smoking some serious street crack.

 

I dont understand how this could be true when you have to pay just to commute to work. I hope we keep the usairways program.

 

And just so I get this straight, if you have more than 5 years in, couch is free?

 

I would gladly post my travel history. I have had first class in my 26 months at Eagle a ton. On deadheads I have had first about 40-50% of the time(if the plane had first on it). On my non-reving I have had it about 30%. I dont fly INTL alot, but that is the place people get it the most. We do pay on our metal/aa, but after 5 years coach is free. If you commute, I can see the frustration, I really can. If you live in base or can commute on another airline, it is great.

I have had passes my entire life, and still do on united. The seniority system has massive downs. One hour prior to the flight, people senior to you keep showing up. Trying to send someone on a buddy pass on the seniority system is almost impossible. There is no way to plan anything with seniority systems. Time of checkin however, 24 hours out, you have a fairly clear picture of whats going on. It forces people to stick somewhat with their plan. Seniority is great if your senior, but if not, it makes traveling impossible. Its just one more example of F the junior guy at airlines.

At Eagle we get D2 boarding priority, that is the same as AA employees. AMR uses a time of check in system, NOT seniority. That means day one at Eagle, you can non-rev, and if you check in first for a flight, your number one of the standby list. Period. Even if 40 people, that have been at the company 30 years check in after you. If you worked for Expressjet, and were flying United, you would be at the bottom of 40 people, every flippin time. Airlines put non owned commuters down at the bottom of the standby list with mainline buddy pass riders. Forget ever seeing first. Also AA is one of the most stingy on giving upgrades to paying PAX, so getting first is not overly hard. United used to be this way, but since the CAL system came in, YOU NEVER get first.

This is all subject to change with the merger, but right now, if you non rev, and will be employed by a regional, Eagle is hands down the place to go. Commuting is a different story, due to the cost side.

For example I just went down St Croix, and I had first going down for me and my fiance, and we had two seats together in coach coming back. We used our D1s, which we get 4 of each per year, but also enjoyed both ways being 1 and 2 on the standby list.

Also reg. companions do come out of that 24 pass bank, so do parents and buddy passes, which you can only list 12 people per 12 month period as a buddy.

 

yet my Dad uses AA/AE to jumpseat every few months, and as long as he lists using the website for listing for the jumpseat on AA, or calls ahead he has no problem.

You cant just walk up 30 minutes prior. I dont get why the guy complaining did not list online or call earlier in the day.

 

The discussion was about employee pass travel, not Other Airline pilots Jumpseat procedures. Yes, I agree, the listing procedure for OAL pilots trying to get a JS is onerous, but it's not the agent's fault. At 20 prior, they are working hard to get passengers and listed non-revs onto the plane, while starting to pull up the paperwork for the final closeout. They usually just don't have time to create a listing in SABRE from scratch for a OAL JS rider. Also, if an agent gave you the actual JS, instead of a seat in the cabin, even if the only seat left was a F class seat, then I believe the agent screwed up. They are normally supposed to give you a seat if one is available, and only give the JS if the flight is full.

Our Non-rev pass travel is pretty good. AE employees are on the same tier as AA employees when it comes to travel on AMR owned or controlled airplanes, since we are sister companies of the same corporation. Yes, there is a small fee, but I have never had an issue with it as long as I've worked at AE (since '91), and I spent seven years as a low paid FO. fares are between $10-20 for a Coach pass. (which is usually all non revs can get on most domestic flights, since Upgraders almost always take any remaining First class seats anyway). Hard to complain about that when it costs nearly $10 just for a Subway sandwich, or similar, at the airport. Besides, after five years of employment, the coach fees are waived (if it were up to me, coach fares would be waived for all employees, but it's not). I don't know, maybe that's how AMR rewards tenure.

It really is nice to be able to get yourself on "the list" early and be higher up the standby list than somebody else who dawdled until only a few hours before departure time. Seniority has no bearing whatsoever on one's standing on the list, and never has at AA/AE. This has never been a problem for me or anybody else here. Also, once in transit on a multiple leg journey, you become a D2T (meaning "through"), so you go above those employees on the list who are just beginning their journeys (D2). This helps to lessen the chance of becoming stranded mid-journey.

It is what it is. I've literally never heard an AA or AE employee or spouse complain about the travel policies (other than the D2 charge for newbies, which is pretty inexpensive, but really not necessary). It feels fair to all, and allows us to travel the world pretty easily - and in top comfort and style if we are willing to cough up a little dough for a 777 first class seat to Europe, Asia, or South America.

 

so what would be the cost to go to Europe both in coach and first?

 

From which city? It makes a difference.

 

LAX to LHR for example:

First class - $270 (easy to get a first class seat)
Business class - $195 (tougher to get than first class)
Coach class - $145

Yes, this is money, but I look at it like this. If I had to PAY for a first class seat to London from LAX, I'd spend $7,192 for that same seat. $270 is a steal, as far as I'm concerned. I gladly pay it.