AA hiring is based on the economy, which as we all know is a cycle. Once the economy turns south, the hiring will stop along with the flow through.

The gamble all new hires face is, do you think you can get hired and flow through before the economy turns? If you guess right, fantastic. If you guess wrong, you might end up stuck as an FO at step 4 pay without bonuses.

My advice would be to try to get on with a regional that offers good career advancement, but at the same time would be acceptable for the long term if needed. Also, don't underestimate quality-of-life issues.

Actually anyone hired after the DAL/NWA merger were never offered any flow. Compass was originally a WO'd NWA carrier.

As to your assessment about AA WO'd flow, I fully agree.

I don't think it matters what Regional you're at if the economy turns South enough where airlines stop hiring. At that point you're screwed anyways, best thing you can hope for is that you're not at the bottom on reserve.

Rumor- just a rumor- from an AA captain. Don't be shocked if they take away the flow. AA is struggling with the pilot shortage, but I guess some of the flow pilots have had a hard time transitioning. I don't know why and he didn't know why, but that's just what he said. ONLY A RUMOR.

I can count on one hand, literally, the number of Envoy flows who didn't make it. And they all should have been axed at Eagle years ago..in other words, it's their own fault. Otherwise flows are thriving at AA..from Envoy and the other two as well. Sorry, bad rumor.

Yeah, it's just a rumor! The pilot shortage is here and think the majors may approve more flow throughs or partnerships just so they can get qualified pilots. The rumor just what this AA captain was telling me the other day...

And that is exactly what it is...only a rumor. And a ludicrous one at that. If AA was having such a problem with the pilot shortage that they felt the need to violate a huge provision of the contract, they would first start to run new hire classes larger than 60ish pilots a month.

For one thing, no mainline needs flow so it can find pilots. Anyone believing otherwise is an idiot. The ones that need flow is the regionals, and the flow is to attract new hires and for them not to leave until flow time.the only mainline with a truly flow is aa, all others are interview. The only regionals that have an actual flow is envoy, psa and pdt.

Many years ago AA was having some issues with the first batch of flows. Some of the guys on the line remember that and still think it's true today. It isn't.

Just curious, but why only Envoy? PSA and PDT have flows as well