"Most other professions are able to parlay their experiences (even bad ones) into a better position."

The flip side to that is that the seniority system allows one to move up based on time with the company. Not who's butt you kiss or breaking the rules to get the job done better than the next guy. The last thing we need in airline flying is a competition on who can save more fuel but departing with the least amount of fuel.

Just like everything else Skyhigh brings up, there is good and bad is good and bad in it. Skyhigh's focus here is always on the bad.