New NonRev policy annouced

[Phoenix]

 
Employees should go ahead of all family members.
 
What's more important, commutting to work or your kid going on vacation?  

 
Important to who? If we are talking about what is more important to Doug (who has more authority to set the policy than you or I, then I would suggest you ask which is more profitable to him).   Since you aren't Rez J. I don't need to tell you that is rhetorical.  

 

[jimntx]

As far as stations served only by rjs...No non-rev travel program can create seats where none exist.  And, unless you are the most senior person in the company, you have no guarantee that the one available seat is going to you.  However, with FCFS, if you are the first one to check in for that seat, you get it.
 
I commuted for 6 years.  I had no problem, but then I didn't wait until the very last flight that would get me there in time to sign-in.  If you like to live on the edge; so, be it.  But don't expect any sympathy.  You'll get none.

 

[jimntx]

If you are determined to believe that FCFS is a cluster f, have at it.  The fact is that it has worked quite well for many years for an airline substantially larger than US Airways.  Far be it from me to attempt to confuse you with facts.  I'm done.  The end of the world is nigh because you have to change something you are used to.  If I were you, I 'd just hold my breath and kick the floor until Doug Parker changes his mind.

 

[1AA]

The problem is the FCFS is a new process for the USAir employees. They have many questions about how it works. I understand the concerns but it works rather well at AA.
Anything new at first that is as complex with many variables will raise many questions and concerns. As far as travel being a contractual item for a certain employee group, All I can say is that many things have been contractual at AA and they just steamrolled right over us and got their way. We had contracts in place and AA went into BK to have them abrogated.
 
You may not like my opinion about commuters thinking they have priority over other employees. Where you live is your choice. The reasons you have to where you live are personal. I respect that. What I do not agree with is having special travel privileges non revving to get to work on time. It is that company privilege that allows you to live away from your base so you can have a better quality of life for you and your family. Why should other active working employees take a back seat while they may be on VC or a family event? Look at it another way. If I decide to live 50 miles from the airport and another employee lives 3 miles from the airport, am I entitled to run red lights and stop signs and exceed the speed limit over the employee who lives 3 miles from the airport? I think not.
At AA commuters biggest problems are seat availability. Most travel D2 so they are savey enough to list themselves 24 hours ahead of time to get on the flight. If the flight is full they have alternate plans. Earlier flights and so on. Like I said earlier in my post the AA system works well for all employees. It may take a while until full integration takes place between both airlines but we have time to learn the process and talk to others who are more familiar with the way it works.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I don't know of anyone who is trying to scam the system. We are all just trying to understand the system so the uncertainty of pass travel can be more manageable. It is in the new American's best interest to allow pilots and f/as' to be able to get to work as hassle free as possible.

 
I think the real issue is that we are trying to understand how not to be scammed BY THE SYSTEM, or its abusers.  No matter how it is set up, if there is a way to abuse it to personal advantage, it will be found and exploited.  A DOH-based system takes some of that possibility out of the equation, but I am certain that the FCFS will eventually be accepted by the former US employees once they understand how to make it work for them, and how to spot abuses.  Abusers (agents or travelers) when caught should be fired.
 
For those US employees who just cannot tolerate having to deal with the FCFS system, I have a few suggestions:
 
1. Figure it out, then suck it up and deal with it.
2. Or, buy a ticket.
3. Or, move into base.
4. Or, quit.

 

[jimntx]

Thank you, nycbusdriver.  I've always enjoyed your posts, and I hope we get the chance to fly together one day.  As #1 (f/a working in F/C), I work on the philosophy that a happy, contented cockpit is a safe cockpit.
 
Watching for those employees and/or agents who try to scam the system is why I tell people--make sure you have a hard copy of the standby list from some source.  If you suspect an agent is doing this on a regular basis, make sure you have more than one copy.  Those date/time stamps can be invaluable--i.e., "this is what the list looked like at 1200.  Note that I am #2 on the non-rev list.  This is what the list looked like at 1230 when boarding began.  Note that I have slipped to #4 on the non-rev list, and Jones and Smith who were #14 and #22 are now #1 and #2.  I asked the agent about it, and he/she said it was none of my business.  I would like to have an explanation of this change in status."
 
I don't know about the "new" AA, but at the "old" AA, such shenanigans have gotten people (both the agent and the traveler) fired.  And, don't expect a lot of sympathy or more than minimum (Duty of Fair (but not enthusiastic) Representation) assistance from your union.  Remember, your fellow union members commute/non-rev also.
 
Also, the "old" AA has travel agreements with just about every airline in the U.S. with the possible exception of Trans-Dogpatch (I'm dating myself now).  So, there are few places in the U.S. where one is limited to commuting on only one airline.  I commuted on Southwest between Dallas and St. Louis at every opportunity for the 6 years I was based at STL.  Not only is Love Field over 20 miles closer to my home in Dallas than DFW, but the Southwest employees are so very nice to us.  Considering that our airline has tried to thwart their airline at every step of the way for the past 40 years, it would not have surprised me  if they were barely civil to us. 

 

[jimntx]

Gaucho99, there is no "pass swapping"--assuming that the PMAA (pre-merger AA) rules survive.  First off, there is no such piece of paper called a buddy pass.  Everything is done on the computer, and non-rev travel can only be given to people on your personal travel list.  IIRC, you can have up to 10 family members/friends on this list.  Once you put someone on the list, they can not be removed for 1 year; so, no "casual" non-rev travel can be given as you have done with your friend.  When people on your list travel non-rev, you have to make the listing and you have to check them in when the time comes.

 

[skinvalve]

Started as an AA dependent and now have over 50 yrs non-reving, mostly for vacation but also as a commuter, using both FCFS and DOH. I prefer DOH. But just to stir the pot. What's ya gonna do when they start taxing non-rev's? Oh yah! you know that's just over the horizon.

 

[gaucho99]

Thanks for the info jimntx....it looks like the AA system is different....we don't have paper vouchers either...we are given 16 one way electronic passes that can be given to anyone....theoretically....you could give them to 16 different people if they all were traveling one way....more likely it would be 8 round trip passes.This is in addition to your spouse, children, parents etc.
 
So if you put a friend on your personal travel list, do they then have unlimited travel for the year? At a cost I presume.

 

[AANOTOK]

qaucho,
 
We had 24 one way (12 rt) "buddy passes" which we call D3 passes until this merger. We also can give them to anyone, but each person you give them to you have to list as a buddy and they have to be on that list 12 months from the day you list them. The list has a max of either 10 or 12, and when one buddy reaches his twelve months, you can delete them and add another if you prefer. I guess my biggest gripe about the whole system is my son became a "buddy", a D3 when he turned 24 therefore making it a little more difficult traveling as a family. But hey, I knew that going in.

 

[john john]

Once you get on the list (check-in), the time stamp remains with you thruout your travels. It doesn't matter when you print a boarding pass.

Yes. For example, if you were flying to DCA and switched to IAD, your check-in. Time for DCA would apply. The only caveat to that is, that you would have not been able to get on the DCA flight because it was full.
An example of that, let's say there is a 6pm DCA flight, you can't get on a 6am BWI list and expect them to roll you to the 6pm flight.

So your old time stamp will leap frog over other NR’s even though they thought were on top to the list This could be confuse as scamming

 

[john john]

the LAX-CLT-FLL passenger will have priority over the PIT-CLT-FLL passenger.

Why would one have a priority over the other? They both are originating their travel to the same flight and destination

 

[paul1]

its pretty hard to scam the system at AA for nonrev travel in my opinon. You find what flt you want and then EXACTLY 24 hrs before departurer you are logged into the system And at exactly 24hrs ahead of time you hit enter and you are on the standby list for that flt and you see where you are on the list.

The only non revs that may pop up in front of you are going to be thur nonrev

 

[nycbusdriver]

its pretty hard to scam the system at AA for nonrev travel in my opinon. You find what flt you want and then EXACTLY 24 hrs before departurer you are logged into the system And at exactly 24hrs ahead of time you hit enter and you are on the standby list for that flt and you see where you are on the list.

The only non revs that may pop up in front of you are going to be thur nonrev

 
I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but the question just occurred to me.
 
Say I want to go LGA-CLT-LAX.   LGA-CLT departs Monday at 7 am.  CLT-LAX departs at 11 am.
 
Can I check-in for the whole thing at 7 am Sunday?  Or, do I need to check-in for the second leg at 11 am Sunday?
 
If I can check-in at the time of the flight inbound to the hub, 7 am, for the entire sequence, would it immediately show me checked-in for CLT-LAX?
 
I'm curious about the quirks fo the system.  If I really wanted to go to LAX, I'd get on JetBlue from JFK (which I have done on more than one occasion.)

 

[Real tired]

Started as an AA dependent and now have over 50 yrs non-reving, mostly for vacation but also as a commuter, using both FCFS and DOH. I prefer DOH. But just to stir the pot. What's ya gonna do when they start taxing non-rev's? Oh yah! you know that's just over the horizon.

They already do tax me.  I no longer have a spouse.  I have a Registered Guest.
 
So I guess this FCFS system might save me a little money.
 
At least I think..........................