Recruiting AA style
 

Just go out and shake the tree for 1500 pilots

American Airlines plans to hire 1,500 pilots - chicagotribune.com

AA 1500 Pilots, DAL just announced 300-500 per year indefinitely, UAL 70-100 per MONTH indefinitely, US AIRWAYS also hiring gangbusters. SWA hiring window just opened.

Say good-bye to the Americans in Hong Kong, and the USAB FO's with no hope of a based Command. Why on earth would you stay? These US Carriers are all sitting on 30-40% raises, 5-6 years to narrow body command. No C&T gimmicks. Actually bidding for a line with schedule control. Shoot, I am starting to drool, excuse me for a sec....

Good to have options guys.

And the outlook for the U.S. is so rosy!

It must be time for a sudden downturn and rapid layoff's of newly hired pilots in the US once again!

That paycut for USAB FO's on Jan 1 will certainly help us make a decision to stay or go!

Jonathon,

In most cases I would agree with you, but this hiring is based solely off of retirements and new work rule requirements. The US airlines have been operating bare-bones for 12 years now, and unless they are going to pare back even further than they already have, the hiring will have to continue for quite a long time.

box

Luvmuhud: I think the outlook for the US is terrible, but these airlines must hire. And retirements alone will keep the furlough risk to the lowest levels they have ever been. US airlines are shedding 60% of their list in the next 10 years....whew!

ASH1111, the numbers are certainly impressive.

If the U.S. is home, then it would be a difficult decision to make...I hope it works out well for any who choose to jump ship.

Forecasts however, are worse* than useless...the airline industry is a complicated system, and we have zero empirical evidence of any ability whatsoever to predict the state of the industry (let alone a particular airline) in the future.

* worse, because unlike no forecast, we believe our CEO/economist/financial journalist/industry spin doctor as they are very good making their conclusions sound like they have rigor, when they don't. Bad intel is worse than no intel.

Seen this before and we will see it again.....I wish a couple hundred would leave because the company would take notice.
But a slow trickle of half a dozen a year doesn't mean anything.
Lots of talk but not many walk.

Well the hiring is only just now beginning. Give it 6-9 months, and wait and see how many of our FOs bail out for different opportunities. I think much will hinge on the pay negotiations and if bases are indeed coming back soon, as has been said by a few in the know.

box

I can safely say that when I've broached this subject with our US colleagues they say everything hinges on bases or lack thereof. But.....

They also say they don't want to throw away a secure imperfect job for a more perfect less secure one.

I think 2014 will be an interesting year.