The following was posted by SAABTRASH on 8/30/2005. I don't know if it is current (RJ85FO Please comment) but it explains seatlock in the context of getting CRJ200s. Note the last paragraph. Considering the addition of CRJ9s, it seems like an accurate 2005 prediction for things to happen in 2007.

I should clarify the initial 3 year FO seatlock. From date of hire, you are seatlocked 3 years from bidding another FO position. For example you're hired as a CRJ FO. Your seniority number comes up in 2 years for a Saab Captain upgrade: you can bid it (because it's not an FO position and only because it's an upgrade position).

You just can't bid another FO position before 3 years. After you bid another FO position or even CA upgrade, it's a 2 year seatlock before you can bid any other position. Does this make sense? Just remember everything is seniority based. If your number can hold it, bid it!

Right now CA upgrades in the Saab are only going as junior as 4 and a half years. [2005] Assuming we get the 20 CRJs on options, I would suspect the Saab upgrade time to fall to maybe 3 to 3.5 years. We'd have to get alot more CRJs and see more attrition to get upgrades to 2 years (like the days pre 9/11).