A simple analogy to add to this debate ...

If you depart your home base (corp job) for your ultimate destination (UPS) ... if the weather goes down at your destination and you divert to your alternate ( Cathay, Polar/Atlas, etc) ... would you be happier at your alternate, or would you regret leaving your departure point ?

Hmmmmmmmm ??????

That's really what it boils down to. Because the only certain thing about an airline career, is that there are NO guarantees about where you will end up.

Later, CC