QoL/ scheduling/ base / reserve questions
11-02-2023, 01:58 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Position: Guppy Gear Slinger
Posts: 1,986
QoL/ scheduling/ base / reserve questions
Never in a million years did I think I'd get a CJO from AA, but I now find myself in the very fortunate position of having an offer. It would appear that you no longer have to be ex-military, be at another legacy, or flow from Envoy, in order to be considered at AA.
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this?
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders?
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR?
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct?
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume.
• Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737?
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic?
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end?
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this?
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders?
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR?
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct?
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume.
• Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737?
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic?
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end?
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
11-02-2023, 02:41 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 214
Never in a million years did I think I'd get a CJO from AA, but I now find myself in the very fortunate position of having an offer. It would appear that you no longer have to be ex-military, be at another legacy, or flow from Envoy, in order to be considered at AA.
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this? It differs for people in different bases. Some easily trade and others don’t.
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders? In LAX 15-16.
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR? The website to get that data is down but I think junior 737 LAX FO went to the plug.
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct? LCR reserve is currently 12 but subject to the joint implementation action committee should be changing to 14 by hopefully sometime next year.
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume. Correct • Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737? Cannot access that data right now, but hopefully someone else can provide if they have it.
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic? Yes
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end? Airbus has lots of redeyes so definitely commutable on front end, 737 has a combination of red eyes, commutable trips, or very early shows (6amish) but early finishes so commutable on one start/end at the very least.
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Yeah SF trips definitely pop up a fair amount. However, overnights change all the time.
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this? It differs for people in different bases. Some easily trade and others don’t.
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders? In LAX 15-16.
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR? The website to get that data is down but I think junior 737 LAX FO went to the plug.
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct? LCR reserve is currently 12 but subject to the joint implementation action committee should be changing to 14 by hopefully sometime next year.
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume. Correct • Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737? Cannot access that data right now, but hopefully someone else can provide if they have it.
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic? Yes
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end? Airbus has lots of redeyes so definitely commutable on front end, 737 has a combination of red eyes, commutable trips, or very early shows (6amish) but early finishes so commutable on one start/end at the very least.
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Yeah SF trips definitely pop up a fair amount. However, overnights change all the time.
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
If you live in the Bay Area I’d seriously consider your offers from SWA and AS (both great companies imo). Commuting gets old and nothing will ever beat driving to work. I bet UA isn’t far behind offering an interview if you have your app in.
Would love to see you at AA since you seem super cool. You’ll have a great career from all 3 but I would definitely do some soul searching.
If you want the answers to those questions I’ll try and shift through some data, but I’m sure someone else will get you your answers.
Good luck!
11-02-2023, 04:03 PM
#3
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2023
Posts: 67
Never in a million years did I think I'd get a CJO from AA, but I now find myself in the very fortunate position of having an offer. It would appear that you no longer have to be ex-military, be at another legacy, or flow from Envoy, in order to be considered at AA.
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this?
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders?
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR?
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct?
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume.
• Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737?
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic?
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end?
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
Anyhow, I now have to pick between AA, SWA, and AS. I realize the #1 rule of choosing a job is "Don't commute," but commuting to AA seems maybe doable. I live in the SF Bay Area, and there are countless flights from SFO, OAK, and SJC to the LA area. I'm trying to decide if that commute would be survivable, long-term. So I have some key questions about bases, scheduling, QoL, and reserve. I've scoured the threads for answers, and have some insights into some of this, but I would be so grateful for any further detailed info.
Scheduling/ QoL
• I've heard AA's bidding/scheduling system doesn't really give pilots much flexibility to drop, trade, or move trips around. Can anyone comment on this?
• What are typical numbers of days off for lineholders?
Reserve Life
• How long to be able to hold LCR?
• I understand LCR is a 12 (or 14?) hour notice period and it's released each day at 4 pm (Central? Or base time?) for the following day, is that correct?
• Reserves have to cover LAX, ONT, and SNA, is that correct? (Yikes.) And you can 'proffer' for a specific base on reserve, but that's naturally not guaranteed, I would assume.
• Roughly how long to hold a line for LAX/320 and LAX/737?
737 vs Airbus (LAX) trips
• I understand the 73 isn't ETOPS qualified so is the flying all domestic?
• In terms of a typical bid package: which fleet has more commutable trips, especially on the front end?
• Does either fleet ever have SFO or SJC overnights?
Sorry if any of these are redundant questions. Thank you all!
Looks like someone answered most of the questions already. Congrats on the CJO from one of the Big 3! I would honestly consider WN, AS, AA in that order. All would get you your UA interview asap too. AA is great, and I am happy here, but I wouldn’t commute for AA when you live in another Legacy’s hub. You will be a 787 FO or 737 CA right away. My opinion is based on commuting just adds way too many negatives for this career to be worth it.
11-02-2023, 04:18 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Position: Guppy Gear Slinger
Posts: 1,986
Congratulations again man.
If you live in the Bay Area I’d seriously consider your offers from SWA and AS (both great companies imo). Commuting gets old and nothing will ever beat driving to work. I bet UA isn’t far behind offering an interview if you have your app in.
Would love to see you at AA since you seem super cool. You’ll have a great career from all 3 but I would definitely do some soul searching.
If you want the answers to those questions I’ll try and shift through some data, but I’m sure someone else will get you your answers.
Good luck!
If you live in the Bay Area I’d seriously consider your offers from SWA and AS (both great companies imo). Commuting gets old and nothing will ever beat driving to work. I bet UA isn’t far behind offering an interview if you have your app in.
Would love to see you at AA since you seem super cool. You’ll have a great career from all 3 but I would definitely do some soul searching.
If you want the answers to those questions I’ll try and shift through some data, but I’m sure someone else will get you your answers.
Good luck!
I really appreciate that. It is truly a great problem to have and I'm genuinely humbled and pinching myself to remind myself that yup, I really did get offers from these great airlines. I've met a lot of incredibly experienced pilots in all these interview sessions and it's humbling to be counted among them.
11-02-2023, 04:38 PM
#5
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2023
Posts: 67
That is so kind of you! Thank you I really appreciate that.
It is truly a great problem to have and I'm genuinely humbled and pinching myself to remind myself that yup, I really did get offers from these great airlines. I've met a lot of incredibly experienced pilots in all these interview sessions and it's humbling to be counted among them.
I really appreciate that.It is truly a great problem to have and I'm genuinely humbled and pinching myself to remind myself that yup, I really did get offers from these great airlines. I've met a lot of incredibly experienced pilots in all these interview sessions and it's humbling to be counted among them.
Sounds like you will do great whatever you choose. If it is AA, welcome!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
