Do you know what your getting into coming here? Not saying you should or shouldn’t but just read through the forums to get a general idea of the overall mood here.

Did you read this?

Thanks all for the honest and valuable input - especially the Monty Python .


Some clarification: I get the CA bonus of $45K - just don't start as a CA first/second day. They call it NEC or "Near Entry Captain". You need 500 eligible hours of which I obviously exceed, having the 950 needed for DEC. DEC was just very recently suspended.


I do not enjoy commuting at all; however, believe it or not - Envoy looks better than what I had. I was commuting 8 hours to SJU - true I was working 4 and 4, but still kills a day both ways. Then it got a bit better at the next base and I was driving 3 hours to/from while working 4 and 3. Some of those drives lasted all night cause I was fatigued after 13 hour duty days flying 6-8 legs. With Envoy, I figure that I'm down to a 42 minute commute STL - ORD - so getting better. Heck, for me sitting reserve sounds a bit restful. Sure I will come to hate it like everyone else. So, as many problems Envoy may have - there is worse. LOL. BTW - both of those bases required having an apartment in addition to a house in STL. Will be looking at crash pads now - far cheaper than apartments.

Ok - so why Envoy? Fair question. I had a fantastic career in medical R&D. It got unstable with changes in industry. Flying was always a love, but couldn't compete financially (still a fraction of what I had; however, the shortage is pushing it up faster than in the past). To retire at AA (10 year minimum) gives flight benefits traveling the world on a dominate airline with all its agreements on other carriers and that's worth (to me) giving up some QOL and pay along the way. Because I'm short on time before 65 - PDT, PSA, and ENV were the only options because their time counts toward AA total time. None of the other regionals have that. Sure, I could make a go at Spirit, etc. but I'm fairly sure their non-rev benefits are not as strong. And before you downplay non-rev, keep in mind where I intend to use it most is in retirement where time is super flexible. Also, liked the bases and equipment better than PSA and PDT. The pay will come around. I haven't been on property and may not have a right to be optimistic, but I am.

Didn't want to write an autobiography, but several of you had very legitimate questions - so I attempted to fill in the holes. Tried to do thorough homework on this new career. Stayed on track on most things with the exception of the DEC going away 3 weeks ago. Still there is so much I don't know or can predict - so your insight has been tremendously valuable. Thanks!

Be sure to get your bonus agreement in writing before Indoc. Recruiting has been known to bait and switch.

As for picking a regional for the retirement non-rev bennies, personally I think that shouldn’t be what you’re looking at. The AA non rev benefits are good, BUT the flights are mostly oversold.

Once you retire you can’t ride the jump seat, and you will be a much lower standby priority than current AAG employees (including Cherice’s daughter in accounting).

Thanks. Got bonus in writing.
Plan is to have the AA stamp at retirement. Talked with my buddy, a CA at AAL and he just spent a month non-rev in Europe. Retirees are low on the list, but they are ahead of DAL, UAL, etc. I'm familiar with loads too. That jump seat saved me plenty commuting.

So you had your mind made up already before even writing this post? All we ask is don’t come back here when the shine is gone and start *****ing as you have been warned. Funny thing about that commute, it is one of the harder in the system even only been a short 45 min flight. Mainline does the morning flights out a lot with the 737 and usually an AA jump seater in the priority seat.

For others thinking of coming here, non revving over seas is generally easier than here in the states. When we say the non rev benefits are not what they used to be we are referring to commuting.

Welcome to Envoy...

Non revving as a retiree is impossible. With the amount of D1 and D2s. Every flight is full or over sold. So coming to envoy for the retirement benefits is laughable.

I would expect NEC Reserve time to be closer to 3 years as the flow is set to slow down starting in 2020. Without growth we will have a slowdown on the upgrade train.

But his “buddy” captain at mainline said all is good, so.

Also, the bubble of 2017 hired FOs will finally start approaching the 1000 hour mark. They will be sliding into CA lines above a NEC. I'm thinking the NEC hired today probably won't see a line until summer 2022, unless something major changes.