Many share your thoughts on the 'handicap,' or seniority based market enslavement. And the 'handicap' you reference doesn't even take into account the huge disparity between other positions and portability vs the pilot professional. Scotty was not hampered by our barriers to free market such as a national 'corporate behemoth' union, the RLA, the NMB, etc. Heck, apparently he wasn't even hampered by a 'no compete'!

There are a few ways to work around the handicap for motivated folks. And I believe the evolution of the profession may help to self-correct the above mentioned forces, leading to a more market based pay and benefit picture. I can always hope.

There's the foreign airline route, ugh, and Herndon positions are scarce . Another is to seek a better method of compensation outside of the aviation profession. Yup, there's that(edit-EBastian and company drove me and others in that direction!). Just as young pilots make the decision to forego an aviation career for better pastures elsewhere, we are able to participate in small business, entrepreneurship, etc.

The profession has historically provided this free time, even though the trend from mgt is creating the 'more productive pilot'. The 'golden goose' may be reversed on mgts in the future. If the profession does not support the pilot pool 'golden goose' aspirations, mgts will be indirectly damaging the 'enterprise'. Watch your step, mgt!(IMO)