Originally Posted by aa73

Been here coming on 24 years now. (AA.) We've come a looong way from the lost decade. Some of the posts on here made by AA pilots that have been here just a few years are laughable. They talk as if they know all the ins and outs of both airlines and their contracts. The problem is that their rants are emotionally laced with the brainwashing and conditioning that everything at AA sucks, which is a common ELFism (a common name for some of the newbs and their generational know it all attitudes.) Here's a newsflash, most of these pilots have very limited knowledge of the AA and DL contracts when they throw out ridiculous statements like "you'll make millions more at DL." There are many ways to make as much as, if not more, than a DL pilot here at AA, - while working less - it's just that not too many have figured out how. So they throw out ridiculous statements and claims. Whatever. You can nitpick little details that DL has all day long and point to that and claim it's better there. You can do the same here. So it makes zero difference. Everything else is just emotional noise from pilots that love to self bloviate on here without half of the facts.

My advice, take the job that gets you the quickest seniority gain the fastest while also getting you the most desirable place you want to live with the least amount of commuting fuss. In the long run the earnings and QOL won't amount to a hill of beans in difference. Good luck.

Originally Posted by aa73

Been here coming on 24 years now. (AA.) We've come a looong way from the lost decade. Some of the posts on here made by AA pilots that have been here just a few years are laughable. They talk as if they know all the ins and outs of both airlines and their contracts. The problem is that their rants are emotionally laced with the brainwashing and conditioning that everything at AA sucks, which is a common ELFism (a common name for some of the newbs and their generational know it all attitudes.) Here's a newsflash, most of these pilots have very limited knowledge of the AA and DL contracts when they throw out ridiculous statements like "you'll make millions more at DL." There are many ways to make as much as, if not more, than a DL pilot here at AA, - while working less - it's just that not too many have figured out how. So they throw out ridiculous statements and claims. Whatever. You can nitpick little details that DL has all day long and point to that and claim it's better there. You can do the same here. So it makes zero difference. Everything else is just emotional noise from pilots that love to self bloviate on here without half of the facts.

My advice, take the job that gets you the quickest seniority gain the fastest while also getting you the most desirable place you want to live with the least amount of commuting fuss. In the long run the earnings and QOL won't amount to a hill of beans in difference. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Varks

They don't get to cash it in at the end. AA does. $200,000. A tax free option too. I am very close to having the amount for the full 200K. That means my last 8 years I can burn all 60 hrs/ year. Great for IMAXing. They do not care about people calling in sick. The younger generation is going to do it no matter what the say and think. I call in when I am sick. I bid 4 and 5 day trips so burn a lot every time I call in. Please don't tell me it's impossible to accrue it.

Originally Posted by Easyflier301

Solid post, and thanks.

No doubt DAL has a great premium system and the “Greenslips” are very lucrative. Don’t love that you need a certain credit per month to get it, but I’d love to see some seniority guardrails or levelling on AA’s premium in a future contract.

As for DAL/AA Reserve system….that’s an honest toss up. “Rolling thunder” is definitely great though for making money though.

Looking forward to our contract implementation when OE trips are awarded based on LCPs bids from PBS. Hopefully that stops the “blocking” / seniority abrogation that currently exists and make more better trips flow junior.

Originally Posted by thrust

Agree, but the poster who made the ridiculous "millions (plural) more at Delta!" statement also claims to have been here 20+ years.

Seems to go hand-in-hand with the elimination of the union's "The Line" forums. Some bored disgruntled folks, with recently created accounts, have made their way over to APC.

Originally Posted by airbusflieger

Caveat: Hitting IMAX in 9 months involves sick use, a huge no-no at AA and is a risk. Some airlines see sick use as nothing more than using PTO, but AA see's it as stealing and has a long history of pilot discipline for sick use..but that is a whole other thread topic.

Note: A successful IMAX strategy can be crafted not using any sick, but that will require averaging 93 or more hours every month.

Originally Posted by Easyflier301

I’ve found this to be true as well, the “BUT MY QOL” crowd loves to scoff online at those picking up PM and MU…probably because it’s harder for junior folks to get it at AA. Seems easier at DAL and hence there’s not as much of an “outsider looking in effect.” Hence those making huge bank keep it quiet. End of year threads on here always have the least from AA as well.

That being said, there are plenty of ways to make extra money at AA, even if junior, IMAX just being one of them. If you peel back the onion of those you’re flying with, the numbers are staggering for those who know what they’re doing.

Originally Posted by Varks

They don't get to cash it in at the end. AA does. $200,000. A tax free option too. I am very close to having the amount for the full 200K. That means my last 8 years I can burn all 60 hrs/ year. Great for IMAXing. They do not care about people calling in sick. The younger generation is going to do it no matter what the say and think. I call in when I am sick. I bid 4 and 5 day trips so burn a lot every time I call in. Please don't tell me it's impossible to accrue it.

Originally Posted by ACEssXfer

Anyone taking the lump sum at retirement is doing it wrong. You shouldn't have to be convinced that 116% is better than 66%.

Originally Posted by mudpie

There's more value in cashing in 100+ hours each and every year rather than 60 hours at AA, or you save a portion of that and cash it out at the end at $0.66 on the dollar non-pensionable.

Not sure why there's even an argument on which system is superior.