Cripes, last time I looked, the forum ( or thread, or branch, or web............whatever...........) had been locked out. Powerful bods have re-opened because it really is interesting. BAFANGUY, great posts( or letters, or notes or memos.........whatever.......), I do concur. When the arbitrary retirement age was sixty but looked like it might go to 65 I quite liked the idea of creaming off the top salary for another 5 years. I was all prepared & ready to go, financially, at 60 but top end cream off what have put an additional, about, million UK in the bank. Great bonus to play with in my intended retirement home in Glendale, California. But, that's another story. Moreover, I agree with Baf, other reason was that I still, honestly, liked the job.
I go along with Company rules establishing an age limit in order to drive the promotion cycle . In my case, there was also a local ex-pat Labour Law to get around. I did suggest that those interested should have a quick whip-round , bung in a bown envelope & place under someone's table (worked before & still does) but getting pilots to dip into their pockets has, in my long experience, been not worthy of effort.
Brings me to comment on Wayne's plea for funding. Of course, back on thread, it is the Regulatory, completely arbitrary age cut-off which is being challenged. Many posting here get that and agree with it. However , geting us to stick our hands in our pockets would be the battle to watch with equal interest. Observation o f the Red Cross Charity & others involved in Tsunami (so-called) relief has taught me to move away from funding sites. Sorry.