John Carr

Subjective/relative at best, and would depend on the context and the candidate.

If it were say, an RJ FO that scored an interview and could hold CA, but DIDN'T, wasn't married/no kids and said the reason for not upgrading was for "QOL", they could EASLIY paint themselves as a slacker.

Now contrast that with someone that could hold CA but was married with kids and asked why. And they answered along the lines of "being an FO gives me time with the family, I can coach my kids team, volunteer at the school and do PTA", etc, you REALLY think they WOULDN'T hire that guy all other things considered?

Have you been paying attention to some of the trends in hiring lately as far was what they're looking for in people?

ETA, poster above me was along the same lines of what I'm saying.

The key word is PEOPLE. Once a pilot gets selected for interview, they're NOT looking for a pilot anymore. Sure, if one wants to argue a sim eval, whatever. It's been proven, crappy pilots can go to the prep and nail the sim eval while guys that are good pilots can bonk it. I've seen BOTH. But point remains.

Lambourne

I was told the company had an A and B plan retirement when I interviewed........also I could retire at 60 with that nice A plan.

Big picture is things change over the years. I am sure those senior F/O's probably wanted to upgrade but take your choice of career altering events to throw a wrench in the best laid plans.

I don't begrudge any F/O that stays senior in their seat versus being a junior Capt. They make their own choices and the seats they pass up leave them open for a more junior pilot to upgrade.

John Carr

True/agreed. Once one gets to the career destination level after busting their a$$ to get there (mil or civ), let them take their victory laps from WHATEVER seat they want however they want.

When it comes time to retire/bang out, who's gonna win? The guy that took a crappy QOL, may have gone through a divorce or two from it, gives part of his paycheck away, has kids that won't talk to him, won't ever see his grandkids but has bragging rights that he was a CA? OR the guy that didn't do all that, was lucky enough to have ONE wife, ONE set of kids (that he knows about ) got to see them grow up, gets to hang out with his grand kids, and even had the time to maybe have some hobbies outside the silly little childish pursuit of flying airplanes for a living?

DCA A321 FO

Bull****! If this happened, you are a ***** for letting them do this to you.

Justdoinmyjob

As far as 15 year FOs, keep in mind that thanks to stagnation, 9/11 furloughs, BK, Age 65, some can't even hold the most junior CA position.

WARich

Oh great! As if getting an interview/hired isn't difficult enough, now I have to worry about being discriminated against just because I'm single with no kids. What's that number to the truck driving school?

tomgoodman

A Delta CP who did interviews told me the same thing: "Everybody that HR sent me was well-qualified. I was looking for those that I would enjoy flying a four-day trip with."

hindsight2020

Are you new? It's been that way in every profession since day one. Even the military makes inequitable allowances (BAH for dependents vs without) for that kind of social engineering. Hate the game, not the playa. Society dictates the "family types" get preferential treatment. Income tax tables also come to mind. It goes on and on. When was the last time you saw a bachelor general in the military? This type of selection bias is endemic with humans. Nothing you can do about it. Not a good enough reason to go start a family you don't want, but otherwise it is what it is. Timing and luck brother. I wouldn't get too hung up about it.

WARich

It was really more of just a comment about the many things we apps have to be concerned that they're looking at these days. The many boxes to check to ensure our app moves toward the top.

USMCFLYR

6 months ago.
Gen James Mattis.
Retired May 2013

Defense.gov Biography: General James N. Mattis