Originally Posted by
27/09
You're probably better off than you may have been if you were stayed at the Air NZ Link, seniority or no seniority at the Air NZ jet fleet.
While group seniority is a great idea in theory, unless there is a commitment to hire from the Air NZ Link group by the Air NZ jet fleet then the group seniority will be a handcuff with no benefits. I know of quite a few guys who jumped ahead by leaving the Links to go to an outside jet job and very soon after got a Air NZ jet job ahead of guys that had stayed at the links.
In the short term, I agree 100%. It's been a real talking point in recent years with Externals being hired over Link Pilots... many of whom are ex Link Pilots themselves.
However, if my Seniority number on the Jet Fleet reflected my Link join date, I'd be an A320 Captain rather than an FO and I'd probably see a Widebody Command in my late 40's/early 50's. That's the difference between getting a number at 25 early 30's. An extra 6 years in the LHS of a Widebody is a fair chuck of cash.
Honestly, I see the Pro's and Con's of a Joint List. For those joining at the bottom, it's a long wait to get in a Jet while the company tightens the noose. But in 20-30 years time, perhaps it'll pay off? With only a small Widebody Fleet at Virgin, a lot of Pilots will never see the LHS of one.