American Eagle

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

QOL...Hmmm. Granted, I have about 16 years with the company and am a senior captain on the Embraer jet, but...

15 to 16 days off per month. four weeks paid vacation (stretchable to about seven to eight if I bid right). Live in base (SoCal, LAX base). Overnights that average about 15 hours (get in at between 2PM and 3PM and leave the next day at 6AM or so). Average about 80 to 85 hours per month flight time without overtime (I average another 10 hours or so per month). 4 to 7.5 hours per day flight time. Travel benefits that are as good or better than any airline out there and that have allowed my wife and I to travel to Europe, Japan, Central America, Greece, Turkey, the out islands of the Bahamas, the South Pacific, etc. on our vacations (usually in International First Class, which is awesome). Middle to senior FO's can get most of the stuff I mentioned above except the number of vacation weeks, which will probably be two weeks paid (stretchable to three to four if they bid right).

Paywise, so far I'm at a pace that'll take me to somewhere over 110K. Not great, but I'm not complaining either. Combined with my wife's 80+K per year, we do just fine.

So, my QOL is good, as far as I'm concerned.

Upgrade times are slowly coming down for FO's, but will probably never get below three years, at best. But hey, I was an FO for seven years and while it was certainly not an ideal situation, I made the best of it and enjoyed my life a a senior FO by traveling abroad with my wife. Gotta make lemonade out of lemons, I suppose.

 

[IFollowRoads]

So many positive waves!! Thanks for the feedback

QOL...Hmmm. Granted, I have about 16 years with the company and am a senior captain on the Embraer jet, but...

15 to 16 days off per month. four weeks paid vacation (stretchable to about seven to eight if I bid right). Live in base (SoCal, LAX base). Overnights that average about 15 hours (get in at between 2PM and 3PM and leave the next day at 6AM or so). Average about 80 to 85 hours per month flight time without overtime (I average another 10 hours or so per month). 4 to 7.5 hours per day flight time. Travel benefits that are as good or better than any airline out there and that have allowed my wife and I to travel to Europe, Japan, Central America, Greece, Turkey, the out islands of the Bahamas, the South Pacific, etc. on our vacations (usually in International First Class, which is awesome). Middle to senior FO's can get most of the stuff I mentioned above except the number of vacation weeks, which will probably be two weeks paid (stretchable to three to four if they bid right).

Paywise, so far I'm at a pace that'll take me to somewhere over 110K. Not great, but I'm not complaining either. Combined with my wife's 80+K per year, we do just fine.

So, my QOL is good, as far as I'm concerned.

Upgrade times are slowly coming down for FO's, but will probably never get below three years, at best. But hey, I was an FO for seven years and while it was certainly not an ideal situation, I made the best of it and enjoyed my life a a senior FO by traveling abroad with my wife. Gotta make lemonade out of lemons, I suppose.

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

Anyone hook up with American Eagle lately?

So that's her nickname now? We used to call her "Oral Laurel". Stay away from her...

 

[hdpilot50]

QOL...Hmmm. Granted, I have about 16 years with the company and am a senior captain on the Embraer jet, but...

15 to 16 days off per month. four weeks paid vacation (stretchable to about seven to eight if I bid right). Live in base (SoCal, LAX base). Overnights that average about 15 hours (get in at between 2PM and 3PM and leave the next day at 6AM or so). Average about 80 to 85 hours per month flight time without overtime (I average another 10 hours or so per month). 4 to 7.5 hours per day flight time. Travel benefits that are as good or better than any airline out there and that have allowed my wife and I to travel to Europe, Japan, Central America, Greece, Turkey, the out islands of the Bahamas, the South Pacific, etc. on our vacations (usually in International First Class, which is awesome). Middle to senior FO's can get most of the stuff I mentioned above except the number of vacation weeks, which will probably be two weeks paid (stretchable to three to four if they bid right).

Paywise, so far I'm at a pace that'll take me to somewhere over 110K. Not great, but I'm not complaining either. Combined with my wife's 80+K per year, we do just fine.

So, my QOL is good, as far as I'm concerned.

Upgrade times are slowly coming down for FO's, but will probably never get below three years, at best. But hey, I was an FO for seven years and while it was certainly not an ideal situation, I made the best of it and enjoyed my life a a senior FO by traveling abroad with my wife. Gotta make lemonade out of lemons, I suppose.

Every company has their ups and downs...eagle isn't too bad. I have been here since March and already holding a line. Your first few months flying are most likely going to suck being on reserve. Crew Scheduling is going to work you real hard, and QOL is going to suck. However, when you get your paycheck you'll almost forget how much you hate being on reserve. Lot of flying hours means larger paychecks. I'm pretty happy here, chose ORD as my base. You'll fly a lot here. Something Redheadedbro didn't mention, when travelling on your own you have to pay a small amount when you fly on AA or eagle. They waive the fees after being here for five years. So most of us list on other airlines to travel back and forth from home, obviously for those that commute.

 

[siucavflight]

Every company has their ups and downs...eagle isn't too bad. I have been here since March and already holding a line. Your first few months flying are most likely going to suck being on reserve. Crew Scheduling is going to work you real hard, and QOL is going to suck. However, when you get your paycheck you'll almost forget how much you hate being on reserve. Lot of flying hours means larger paychecks. I'm pretty happy here, chose ORD as my base. You'll fly a lot here. Something Redheadedbro didn't mention, when travelling on your own you have to pay a small amount when you fly on AA or eagle. They waive the fees after being here for five years. So most of us list on other airlines to travel back and forth from home, obviously for those that commute.

But the jumpseat is free.

 

[hdpilot50]

But the jumpseat is free.

Thats if they let you sit up front, usually they throw you in the back if there is an open seat.

 

[siucavflight]

Thats if they let you sit up front, usually they throw you in the back if there is an open seat.

Yes, you will ride in the back if there is an open seat, just have the gate agent issue you the 1W and you will not be charged, most will do this for you.

 

[hdpilot50]

Yes, you will ride in the back if there is an open seat, just have the gate agent issue you the 1W and you will not be charged, most will do this for you.

haha, just don't get caught doing it

 

[Slim]

"Travel benefits that are as good or better than any airline out there and that have allowed my wife and I to travel to Europe, Japan, Central America, Greece, Turkey, the out islands of the Bahamas, the South Pacific, etc. on our vacations (usually in International First Class, which is awesome)..."

What are the D2 service charges these days? I left AMR in 1996. At that time,the D2 charges for first class, International, were pretty substantial. I remember DFW/ORD to LGW, round trip service charges being in the hundreds of dollars per person.

I know domestic service charges go away at five years. I still have some limited D2 travel benefits. I haven't had to use it because Comair has free travel.

Fly safe!

 

[siucavflight]

"Travel benefits that are as good or better than any airline out there and that have allowed my wife and I to travel to Europe, Japan, Central America, Greece, Turkey, the out islands of the Bahamas, the South Pacific, etc. on our vacations (usually in International First Class, which is awesome)..."

What are the D2 service charges these days? I left AMR in 1996. At that time,the D2 charges for first class, International, were pretty substantial. I remember DFW/ORD to LGW, round trip service charges being in the hundreds of dollars per person.

I know domestic service charges go away at five years. I still have some limited D2 travel benefits. I haven't had to use it because Comair has free travel.

Fly safe!

International is still expensive, but domestic after five years is free.