Reason to work for American Eagle?

[daddysquared]

Hey folks, sincere question here. I'm not trying to bash, just trying to learn about the company. What are the benefits of working for American Eagle? Is it wholly owned by American? And if so, is there a possibility of moving up to American after a while? (Granted, with all the furloughs, it could be decades, if ever.) What are other things like pay, quality of life, bases, etc., like? Thanks folks.

 

[Otto Coarsen]

Well, one benefit that Eagle offers in contrast to other carriers is that it IS NOT tied in any way to US Airways...


Their Non-rev travel benefits are aweful.... That's one of the big negatives.

 

[acaTerry]

Well, one benefit that Eagle offers in contrast to other carriers is that it IS NOT tied in any way to US Airways...

Now THAT"S some good smack!

 

[norskman2]

If you search through the board using "Eagle", you'll find answers to most of your questions. Yes, Eagle is wholly owned by American. Bases - LAX, MIA, ORD, DFW, SJU, LGA. Flowthough to American? Let's see, if you ran the numbers, if you were hired today you'd probably flow through to AA sometime around 3047 A.D.

 

[cr7driver]

Here are some thoughts:
We are hiring 400 pilots this year, and probably the same amount next year. Buying 4 jets a month for this year and maybe next.

 

[I Hate Freight]

It's all about seniority. I just started class and in 18 months I will have almost 600 pilots under me, maybe more. Eagle is a great place. All my friends here like their jobs. The training is the best in the business, 7 weeks at the American Airlines Training Academy here in Dallas. All paid and a nice hotel provided single occupancy.

IHF

 

[Eagle-ista]

There are positives, really, there are..

Eagle pilots are now given flight benefits (the company calls them "privileges") on Eagle and American starting day one. They are not free, but better than paying for a real ticket. You can also jumpseat as soon as you get your company ID badge.

Health insurance is very poor and very expensive. Morale is low. Training is very good. Upgrade times are coming down fast. Jet deliveries are scheduled to continue for quite a while so hiring should continue for a while. The 400/year number is very reasonable. Pay is way below market, and it's being reviewed now as part of our contract negotiations.

Labor relations at all divisions of AMR(on) are strained. This is not a happy family, in fact, it's down-right dis-functional. Management has been caught in more than one lie, usually by arbitrators. Also, Eagle has more grievances filed against management than rival airlines 5 times our size. You will never see a job at American via Eagle.

If they call you for an interview, the job is your's to lose. They want everyone they interview, it is not a competition with the other candidates you're interviewing with. By the time they invite you to Dallas, they're pretty sure they want you.

Hope that helps.

Choose wisely, young grasshopper...

 

[igneousy2]

It's all about seniority. I just started class and in 18 months I will have almost 600 pilots under me, maybe more. Eagle is a great place. All my friends here like their jobs. The training is the best in the business, 7 weeks at the American Airlines Training Academy here in Dallas. All paid and a nice hotel provided single occupancy.

IHF

It doesn't make much difference how many people are below you, it's how many people are above you.

They were also hiring 600 a year in '98/'99/'00, which happens to be where the captain upgrades are going right now. Jet Captain currently mid '98 hires turbo-prop captains 3rd qtr '99 hires.

4 jets a month = about 16 new jet captains a month plus growth and attrition. So it's looking a LOT better...however...turbo-props are going to start going away in the next couple of years and jet deliveries will start slowing down without a new order so that will throw a curve into things (i.e. captain displacements AGAIN)

It looks BETTER at Eagle but it's not that great just yet. Eagle didn't hire many pilots in '97 which lead to a rapid decrease in time to upgrade but it should stabilize if not start to increase.

'98 -- 98 (pilots junior to most junior t/p captain)
'99 -- 395
'00 -- 260

It's hard to tell when a new hire today will upgrade as there are so many variables. I went to Eagle in 11/'99 and turned down Comair, ASA, an interview with Skywest and an interview with Horizon (I had already started class at Eagle), Eagle upgrade was 14 months if you went to the Rock and 18 months if you wanted to stay in the states. My first choice would have been Skywest, I didn't go because at the time their upgrade was about a year longer than Eagle. As of today I have never held captain, I am 160 numbers away from T/P captain (probably another 3 or 4 months at the rate it's been going recently) and I'm almost 400 numbers away from jet Captain.

I'm not posting this for sympathy...the lesson is to go where you want to work....DON'T CHASE the upgrade because you really never know.

Later

 

[amcnd]

"igneousy2" good realistic post about Eagle. Just to add we have 80 firm orders (EMB) and 25 (CRJ) options for 04'-05' this will bring a need for a min of 400 pilots a year just for the firm orders. Eagle has hired 183 pilots in the first 4 months of 04'. So about 549 pilots if they keep going at thsi rate for the full year. Allot of movement so reserve will be short. Good luck!

 

[vclean]

Flow-through agreement to AA expires 5/5/07. This agreement (Letter 3) offered flow-though to a jet capt after 2 years following IOE. Unless it is extended (highly unlikely), anyone not a jet capt now need not worry about flow-through.

Flight benefits are not the best. You pay a fee to non-rev travel. Cost is based on distance (ie. in '01 ORD-DFW was ~$16 coach, double for first class).

Training and instructors are good. Go across FAA road to the flight attendant academy's cafeteria (if you still can). It is much better than the one in the flight academy.

 

[Simon Says]

One less turbo-prop.

Couldn't resist (and I only said it because everyone was OK)

 

[igneousy2]

One less turbo-prop.

Couldn't resist (and I only said it because everyone was OK)

Plenty more in the desert.

 

[OUjetdrvr]

We are the red-headed little step children of AA...

The travel benefits could be worse...ie none!
And here's a goal after your fifth year, domestic coach travel is....FREEEE

I think mgmnt is hoping a tornado will hit a corner of the airport in ABL and carry those 20-30 Saabs off to the great boneyard in the sky. Just so they can collect the insurance, since they arent exactly selling like mad...

I may be a little too optimistic for my own good but, after serving the grand "chicken" for four years now, things are quite possibly looking up! Been worse, could definately be better, but still...

Flew with a cpt the other day who hung out with some SW crews one night....after comparing training notes they were certain our training was 20 years ahead....but after events like Burbank not sure where that puts our little school house...

Just a few thoughts

 

[amcnd]

Dont be wishing your tornado on the Saabs. Eagle is self insured

 

[AAPilot]

If you search through the board using "Eagle", you'll find answers to most of your questions. Yes, Eagle is wholly owned by American. Bases - LAX, MIA, ORD, DFW, SJU, LGA. Flowthough to American? Let's see, if you ran the numbers, if you were hired today you'd probably flow through to AA sometime around 3047 A.D.

"3047 A.D.", now that's funny