Is working for American Airlines worth it?

Is the job with American Airlines as attractive as it seems or should the company be prepared for its employees to jump ship?

American Airlines is an international airline that provides services to millions of passengers and has more than one lakh thirty thousand employees. Speaking of advantages and opportunities America as a major participant in airline services, does offer the following benefits: However, the job also has its own set of problems, as is expected in every line of work. But is it beneficial to work for American Airlines? Now, let me present some benefits and drawbacks that could be identified.

The following are the benefits of working for an American airline:

• Travel benefits: This is one of the benefits of working for an airline company for it offers travel privileges for employees and their families. American Airlines provides free or significantly subsidized tickets to employees for travel with American Airlines and other affiliated airlines. Other options, including standby travel, are also offered to travelers. This is one way of being able to tour most parts of the world while still blowing as little as possible.
• Good pay: Pay: The pay at American Airlines is relatively good and includes entry-level as well as professional positions including pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, information technology personnel, and executives. The remuneration offered to the employees is quite good, with pilots, especially senior captains, being paid over $300,000. Other positions also have good remuneration based on industry standards.
• Career growth: Based on this, the airline operates all over the world, which means that there are chances for one to be promoted to a higher position in the organization in the future. Employees can move up through the ranks to different levels of management in the various subdivisions: flight operations, aircraft maintenance, marketing and sales, finance, etc.
• Great benefits: Thus, even the insurance for part-time employees is reasonably priced and offers full, detailed health coverage to the employees. Some other benefits offered are 401k with employer contributions, tuition reimbursement, paid maternity leave, and bonuses/sharing of profits. There are also some privileges for long-term employees; they have retirement benefits.
• Worker unity: About 65% of American Airlines employees are affiliated with unions, which enables them to engage in bargaining over their remuneration, privileges and conditions of work. This also enhances job security because employers are forced to post more jobs to attract the most suitable candidates from the ever-increasing applicant pool.

American Airlines’ Drawbacks to Consider

• Furlough risks: The airline industry is very sensitive to economic conditions and it is also very competitive; thus, it is not unlikely to see that during an economic slowdown or an event such as COVID, employees are furloughed or let go. One needs to note that the prospect of being laid off from work is always a possibility, even if you have been working for American for several years.
• Customer service challenges: With flight delays, cancellations, and handling passengers and baggage among them, customer service positions in airlines are challenging for employees, often causing a significant degree of emotional exhaustion. Angry customers, instead of taking their anger out on airline staff, are most likely to do this.
• Irregular schedules: Almost all the employees at airlines, such as pilots, flight attendants, and airport employees, are required to work during the shift, for example at night, during the weekend, or on a holiday. This can affect you socially and family-wise in the long run to a certain extent and that is why there is free time for fun and other social events. Schedules also change frequently.
• Rigorous travel: Employees who travel for business purposes, such as flight attendants and pilots, also engage in a lot of staking around and are often required to switch from one flight to another, which can be quite tiring. There is accumulated fatigue, including jet lag and sleep deprivation.
• Strict rules and appearance standards: These include American Airlines rules and regulations, business processes, and even codes of conduct for dressing. Almost all the interactions are scripted for customer-facing roles and personal freedoms and self-representation get curbed, particularly in terms of dress code. It bears repeating that failure to adhere to Policies results in disciplinary action.

The Bottom Line

Thus, for me, working for American Airlines has these golden features, especially in terms of travel and career progression. However, this job also has some challenges that involve tradeoffs between employment security, convenient working hours, and working in a stressful setting. On the positive side, employment with the world’s largest airline may be beneficial for your job preferences and personal requirements, while on the negative side, it may be a detriment to your career advancement goals and your way of life. As long as one understands the dynamics of this industry and is prepared to take on the challenge of a ‘new economy’, customer-oriented business, then it is a great place to be. Complications of working at American Airlines The lovers of travel and aviation would still find American Airlines as their dream workplace.

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