Not really seeing what's ridiculous here. I guess you should hang with some of the captains I have flown with to learn their tricks. Regardless, I challenge you to find a Delta or United pilot hired in 1998 that's a wide body captain. The ones I know hired in that era are career FO's. It's sad and unfortunate and I feel for those guys. Some are just able to hold a line and not reserve! It depends on the base of course.

Claiming you can be a captain on the lowest, lamest plane in Newark or JFK at Delta or United isn't really a true comparison between cargo and passenger airlines. Will it change after this big surge? That's tough to answer, especially after all these seniority lists have been merged. The fact remains that FedEx has never furloughed. Excitement at the majors is usually temporary and should be approached with extreme caution if you have the choice...

Data point - United started up it's hiring back in 2007 and 2008 after nine years of being dormant. They went and furloughed every one of those 200 or so pilots after oil spiked to $140 a barrel. That was enough for me to know my final resting place once the opportunity came.