Originally Posted by
JamesNoBrakes
The way it should be is you apply for an FO position, that's what you are, until you apply for a CPT position or something similar and are accepted. This way the brightest and most capable would float to the top, rather than just whomever got in "first". Then you could take your experience when you were passed over and apply for a position at airline B and not lose any significant pay, since it would be based on position, in other words you are a CPT and could apply as a CPT. May not make it, but that's just the way the rest of the business world works, there are no "guaranteed jobs", at least to the extent we see in the airline business.
.
That's an interesting concept. The major downside I see is the eventual establishment of a "good old boys club". It happens in every other industry whether one chooses to see it or not. The utopian corporate world that pilots dream of, where everyone is treated fairly and promotions are granted solely on merit, simply does not exist. Human nature is deeply flawed and will always introduce bias into any selection process.