Has AA opened any new crew bases for L-AA aircraft at L-US hubs? Like is there a crew base for the AA 737 at either PHL, CLT or PHX now? And likewise for L-US aircraft - do they have any crew bases for L-US aircraft at L-AA hubs? I flew out of PHL last week and noticed quite a lot of AA 737s and was curious to see if they have done this or are planning on doing this.

I don't think so. Most 737s that rotate through L-US hubs originate from an L-AA hub. For example, a plane may fly DFW-CLT-SJU-CLT-EWR-DFW or MIA-CLT-IAH-MIA or something like that.

Quoting deltabravo1123 (Thread starter): Has AA opened any new crew bases for L-AA aircraft at L-US hubs? Like is there a crew base for the AA 737 at either PHL, CLT or PHX now? And likewise for L-US aircraft - do they have any crew bases for L-US aircraft at L-AA hubs? I flew out of PHL last week and noticed quite a lot of AA 737s and was curious to see if they have done this or are planning on doing this.

For AA pilots (both L-AA & L-US) there have been no changes and will be no changes until seniority integration is finalized. Until then the L-AA & L-US flight crew operations will remain separate. In attempting to "right-size" aircraft to markets one will see more L-AA planes/crews transiting L-US hubs and vice-versa, but neither legacy airline has "opened" any new crew base. FWIW; I have done more PHL, CLT & PHX flying the last few months than all of the previous 15+ years of 738 flying.

Quoting AAR90 (Reply 2): PHL, CLT & PHX

What are the current 738 routes at L-US hubs?

I see 738s on CLT-JFK/MIA/DFW/IAH/ORD/EWR/SJU and that's it.

Quoting USAirALB (Reply 3): What are the current 738 routes at L-US hubs?

PHX-ORD/STL/JFK/DFW/SEA/SAN/MIA/ONT*/LAS
*ONT is flex nights only

Below are the new launches of L-US routes with 738s for this quarter

JFK PHX 38A 12/19/2015
SEA PHX 38D 1/5/2016
SAN PHX 38D 1/6/2016
STL PHX 38D 1/6/2016
DEN PHX 38D 2/11/2016
EWR PHX 38D 2/11/2016
SJC PHX 38D 2/11/2016
MCI PHX 38D 2/12/2016
MSP PHX 38D 2/12/2016
BWI PHX 38D 3/3/2016
PDX PHX 38D 3/3/2016
SLC PHX 38D 3/3/2016
IAH PHX 38D 3/4/2016
SMF PHX 38D 3/4/2016
CUN PHX 38D 4/10/2016

For L-US in L-AA markets it is a bit harder to track down but I could find the below
SAN DFW 321 1/5/2016
CLT DFW A05 2/8/2016
RDU DFW 319 2/8/2016
LAX DFW A19 2/13/2016
MID DFW 319 3/3/2016
MEX DFW 319 4/10/2016
SFO DFW 321 4/10/2016
YUL DFW 319 4/11/2016
PHL DFW 319 4/16/2016
DEN MIA 319 2/15/2016
LAS MIA 319 2/17/2016
LAS MIA 321 3/3/2016
MCI MIA A19 3/3/2016
YYZ MIA A19 3/3/2016
PTP MIA 319 3/19/2016
CUR MIA 319 4/10/2016
MEX MIA 319 4/10/2016

Quoting USAirALB (Reply 3): I see 738s on CLT-JFK/MIA/DFW/IAH/ORD/EWR/SJU and that's it.

That's interesting, I never knew they had started cross fleeting the 737s through L-US hubs. However, I don't see any 737s on CLT-EWR/SJU today or in the next week... Is it something they do seasonally or perhaps on select occasions?

Quoting deltabravo1123 (Reply 5): However, I don't see any 737s on CLT-EWR/SJU today or in the next week... Is it something they do seasonally or perhaps on select occasions?

It must have been a seasonal swap from a 320 due to the Winter holidays.

I read elsewhere that the cross fleeting of international wide bodies will begin this summer with pmUS A330 operating ORD-DUB instead of the previously scheduled pmAA 763. But I think the flight will be operated in a W pattern either PHL-DUB-ORD-DUB-PHL or CLT-DUB-ORD-DUB-CLT. It'll mean 3 daily A330s to DUB this summer

Quoting EIRules (Reply 7):

Yes, that is correct. They had a thread about that a few days ago. It's awesome IMHO to see the cross fleeting begin!

Quoting deltabravo1123 (Reply 5): That's interesting, I never knew they had started cross fleeting the 737s through L-US hubs. However, I don't see any 737s on CLT-EWR/SJU today or in the next week... Is it something they do seasonally or perhaps on select occasions?

Well, I deadheaded from CLT to SJU on a LAA 738 last week, and that aircraft had just arrived from EWR. So it's a fairly recent occurrence.

I almost get the feeling that there could be 738s based out of PHX in a year or two.   

It's been awhile on this thread, any new updates, did AA open a 738 base at PHX or was that just a rumor, there seems to be a lot more of them flying through, it feels like PHX has seen more cross-fleeting than any of the L-US hubs.

cm642 wrote:

It's been awhile on this thread, any new updates, did AA open a 738 base at PHX or was that just a rumor, there seems to be a lot more of them flying through, it feels like PHX has seen more cross-fleeting than any of the L-US hubs.

DFW is getting plenty of amenity-free LUS A321s in return.

cm642 wrote:

It's been awhile on this thread, any new updates, did AA open a 738 base at PHX or was that just a rumor, there seems to be a lot more of them flying through, it feels like PHX has seen more cross-fleeting than any of the L-US hubs.

No crew base yet; PHX 737 departures this month peak at 56 I believe.

wn676 wrote:

cm642 wrote:

It's been awhile on this thread, any new updates, did AA open a 738 base at PHX or was that just a rumor, there seems to be a lot more of them flying through, it feels like PHX has seen more cross-fleeting than any of the L-US hubs.

No crew base yet; PHX 737 departures this month peak at 56 I believe.

Not yet, and it is a *nightmare* from a crew perspective on any irregular ops day; CLT as well. Both can't happen fast enough. I'm also fairly baffled at the lack of a 320 base at ORD, but that's far less of an issue than needing 737 bases at the L-US hubs.

panam330 wrote:

wn676 wrote:

cm642 wrote:

It's been awhile on this thread, any new updates, did AA open a 738 base at PHX or was that just a rumor, there seems to be a lot more of them flying through, it feels like PHX has seen more cross-fleeting than any of the L-US hubs.

No crew base yet; PHX 737 departures this month peak at 56 I believe.

Not yet, and it is a *nightmare* from a crew perspective on any irregular ops day; CLT as well. Both can't happen fast enough. I'm also fairly baffled at the lack of a 320 base at ORD, but that's far less of an issue than needing 737 bases at the L-US hubs.

Has AA been flying many 73's out of CLT, it seems they've been focusing many of the cross-fleeting of 73's at PHX.

cm642 wrote:

panam330 wrote:

wn676 wrote:

No crew base yet; PHX 737 departures this month peak at 56 I believe.

Not yet, and it is a *nightmare* from a crew perspective on any irregular ops day; CLT as well. Both can't happen fast enough. I'm also fairly baffled at the lack of a 320 base at ORD, but that's far less of an issue than needing 737 bases at the L-US hubs.

Has AA been flying many 73's out of CLT, it seems they've been focusing many of the cross-fleeting of 73's at PHX.

There are a few route sites out of CLT that now see some 738 service. Newark and Austin come to mind, as well as L-AA hub routes like Miami and Chicago. I don't think we have nearly the 737 buildup as Phoenix, but looking up it isn't uncommon to see a 737 in flag colors here anymore

ahj2000 wrote:

cm642 wrote:

panam330 wrote:

Not yet, and it is a *nightmare* from a crew perspective on any irregular ops day; CLT as well. Both can't happen fast enough. I'm also fairly baffled at the lack of a 320 base at ORD, but that's far less of an issue than needing 737 bases at the L-US hubs.

Has AA been flying many 73's out of CLT, it seems they've been focusing many of the cross-fleeting of 73's at PHX.

There are a few route sites out of CLT that now see some 738 service. Newark and Austin come to mind, as well as L-AA hub routes like Miami and Chicago. I don't think we have nearly the 737 buildup as Phoenix, but looking up it isn't uncommon to see a 737 in flag colors here anymore

Several of the CLT-MSP frequencies convert to 738's next month.

usflyer msp wrote:

ahj2000 wrote:

cm642 wrote:

Has AA been flying many 73's out of CLT, it seems they've been focusing many of the cross-fleeting of 73's at PHX.

There are a few route sites out of CLT that now see some 738 service. Newark and Austin come to mind, as well as L-AA hub routes like Miami and Chicago. I don't think we have nearly the 737 buildup as Phoenix, but looking up it isn't uncommon to see a 737 in flag colors here anymore

Several of the CLT-MSP frequencies convert to 738's next month.

CLT sees about half of the 737s PHX does; 28-30 this months and next.

I actually think that 738s are the largest single mainline fleet type out of PHX.

There are more 738 departures than A319, A320, or A321 departures (although more total Airbus than 738 departures).

In PHX its twofold.

1.) The 738s replaced A319 and A321 departures that freed up L-US A319s and A321s to operate from L-AA hubs.
2.) The 738s replaced A320 departures with the draw down in the size of the A320 fleet. Pre-merger I believe PHX had the highest amount of L-US A320 departures (and I believe it may still be the case today).

I'm just wondering if more cross-fleeting hasn't been done at the hubs due to something I remember someone saying about there being a mechanical/maintenance issue involving the unions or some sort of contract/certification, that's why they haven't been cross-fleeting and opening any new crew bases, does anyone know if that's the case or if it's something entirely different?

cm642 wrote:

I'm just wondering if more cross-fleeting hasn't been done at the hubs due to something I remember someone saying about there being a mechanical/maintenance issue involving the unions or some sort of contract/certification, that's why they haven't been cross-fleeting and opening any new crew bases, does anyone know if that's the case or if it's something entirely different?

Correct. The AA and US mechanics still need to be integrated and get new contracts. The flight attendant groups are the same way, and I'm really hoping AA doesn't go down the Smisek road with the FA groups. I heard somewhere that they are shooting for FA integration by summer of 2018.

The pilots have already had their first combined equipment bid. L-US pilots are in DFW on the 73' and L-AA pilots are in PHX on the A320 now.

Overall the pilot group is pretty damn happy at the moment. Far removed from the strains of the East/West US Air merger.