eagle upgrade times= forever!

have a buddy who has been to two different bases, been thru two airplanes (Saab and EMB-145) and has been in the right seat for 7 years now.. he applied to Continental in the winter and the denied him because he had a lack of career progression and wanted to see some 121 PIC time

is it me, or do the airlines always want the one thing you cant get or dont have?