No, my jab of zero skill was an implication on the seniority system in which everyone gets to move up but only when their number comes. A pilot could suck/fail but eventually will pass and hold the left seat - Colgan 3407 comes to mind. On the flip side of the coin, a pilot could be very dedicated, excel above average but the seniority system still dictates his progression up the ladder. Only in a merit based system could you have skill come into play for movement, but then that opens the door for management kiss ass types to move up while other good guys get left behind.

And yes, I'm at the company you mentioned and I started here at a time when the only legacy/majors hiring were Spirit and VX. Anyway, I wasn't attacking you so hope you didn't take it like that. I was simply pointing out that someone could have started at the same company as you, spent even more time, and not get a single hour of TPIC and all that has nothing to do with skill or lack thereof. It was simply a numbers and movement issue in which the opportunity just isn't there.