US Airways system was by far the most fair. If you met their quals you were put into a pool and then numbers were randomly drawn out to pick those called.

UAL is still hiring females out of sequence, I've seen it first hand. There is a whole contingent of ladies over there that sued to pass the upgrade and when UAL conceded, they are paired with check airman for life. Sad but UAL upper, upper management doesn't care.

That being said, TT and years on the job doesn't make one more qualified over the other just like sex doesn't make one more qualified over the other.