Originally Posted by
Oceanside11
I think those that hang out in lower paying seats for long periods of time are in the minority. Who wouldn't rather make more $$$? Everyone has to evaluate what it will cost them in their personal lives. Regardless of their rationale they undoubtedly had a plan...like "when I can hold it and not be on reserve" for example (pretty common for commuters). I don't fault people for waiting for the right time.
So the fact that the top 180 Airbus FOs in MEM (out of 534, so about 1/3) can hold Airbus Capt, and the top 300 could hold 727 Capt is just a figment of our imagination? And of course, the large number of FOs with lower than 2000 seniority numbers means nothing. These are the people who deserve no sympathy. The guy who bid at 80 or 100% and missed it by a few, and is now stuck; him I have sympathy for. The FO who could hold any widebody Cap seat at 50% but never bid it. Not a chance.