Originally Posted by Upsddown

There is a lot of truth to that. Biggest thing missing in our contract for domestic pilots is a 5:15 "minimum day". It's a life changer.

But if you go look at the number of days worked at AA and at the other carriers it's not much different. SWA has the best minimum day of all. The more junior you are the worse it is. Slash trips for example.

Next round of negotiations when management throws big dollars our way don't take the bait like was done with this contract. Fix the problems and forget about the money. The money will take care of itself.

Originally Posted by Saabs

I feel like 75% of the complaining would go away if we worked the same amount of days as our peers. Calendar day would fix a bunch of that.

But good post upsddown

Originally Posted by Upsddown

Guitars,

Don't mean to be overly verbose it's just you must remember there are people trying to make decisions on where to go based on our feedback and posts. Do we really want to drive the best to the other airlines? That wouldn't make it better for our daily lives being left with those willing to accept working for a dismal airline.

I get it's frustrating. Management has screwed the pooch. They are so focused on finally achieving their dream of single FOS that they let Rome burn in the mean time. They appear to be like my dog focused on a squirrel. Nothing else matters while they focus on what's in front of them.

It will be a tough 12 months (SLI and JCBA adjustments). But eventually as everyone starts to understand the JCBA and the SLI becomes a fading discussion and as we all move up the list (9,000 retirements in 10 years. Start hiring 1,000 pilots next year.) the trauma of daily airline life will subside, but it will never be perfect.

Next time you fly with a seasoned CA ask him how many different management teams he/she has worked for. Then look at the length of your own career. Unless this management team begins to understand they need labor to succeed they too will one day be replaced by another team. It's the vicious cycle of airline leadership.

When you begin to think how bad it is ask yourself would one of the 14,000 pilots who have an application on file trade with you in a heartbeat.

I've yet to hear of anyone that as told me of the perfect job (never met Hugh Hefner).

It's a good gig, and I can assure you as Chedder posted, it's only going to get better for you. A 35 year old new hire today will make about $8,000,000 or more over their career and have the Company dump another $1,300,000 in their 401K (under the current contract).
Not exactly qualifying for food stamps.

The first years are always the toughest. Just ask that ER Doctor who spent 10 years in college, med school and residency and his first years are spent sleeping on a cot in the break room working the all night shift or walking around on a pager duty with no work rules.

Originally Posted by seafeye

I think dues were already paid for those who spent 10-20 years at the regionals.

Originally Posted by AnotherEagleGuy

You would think. Welcome to the bottom of reserve, where you start all over again commuting for your 4am rap. Time to pay your dues all over again and start at the bottom. The first time was just for practice.

Originally Posted by Xavier3251

Has anyone that interviewed a few weeks ago heard back from the company? I'm going in for an interview tomorrow and was curious to know the timeframe. Thanks guys and best of luck to everyone on achieving this wonderful dream of working for AA.

Originally Posted by Sliceback

Mgt has said - 800 to 1,000 new hires next year.

Originally Posted by Upsddown

I'm amazed at the number of junior AA pilots that have only been here a few years or less that continue to complain about being here.

Did you guys not realize when you were interviewing or chose to flow through you would start at the bottom of the list?

Did you not realize that would mean you would be on reserve?

For those that interviewed did you not let your interviewers know that you wanted to come to AA but didn't want to start all over at the bottom or be on reserve? Or did you put on that blue suit, white shirt and red tie and tell them how much you wanted to work fur AA?

If you flowed through did you let your training pilots and your chief pilots know you didn't like being at the bottom so they could make an accurate assessment about you?

You guys do amaze me. You would have done anything to get this job while flying at a regional or coming out of the military. Now you have it you ***** how bad it is.

In the next 20 years you will make more than you would have in 40 at your past job. Your pension will be double over that period.

How many of you if you could go back in time would choose to stay where you were before and not come here?

It's a shame there isn't a do over process. After three years you could chose to go back to where you came from or AA could choose to send you back.

My guess is AA would be sending a lot more back than those that chose to go back. If any at all chose to.