Yes but that’d be a spectacularly dumb move! It’s good to get people with perspectives and experiences external to ‘the group’.
I’m all for giving opportunities to those within the group but let me throw a scenario out there.
Someone does a cadetship at age 18. A couple of years later they’re a Dash 8 F/O. At age 25 they’re a Dash 8 Captain and a year or two later they’re now part of the hiring process for the regional. So without any knowledge of long haul (or short haul) jet operations, what it involves or even any significant industry experience (7 years in a regional is hardly ‘significant industry experience’), they’re now hiring people into a regional. People here seem to be suggesting that this is the only pool of candidates mainline should be looking at? No freaking way.
I’d like to be taking people from other airlines, people from the RAAF, people who have been C&T on Dash’s and other small turboprops for smaller operators. The wider the level of experience (with experiences across technical, management, etc) that comes into mainline the less chance of it being insular and inward looking and ultimately that builds strength.
So sure give opportunities for progression into mainline from within the group but let’s not consider it a fait accompli. Just because you wear the same uniform or work within the same ‘group’ doesn’t mean that you’ve necessarily demonstrated that you can take the next step. That sort of entitled attitude has already brought a few S/Os undone.
In fact, were they not so desperate to retain crew in QLink and the other group entities they wouldn’t even be setting aside as many positions as they have so let’s not kid ourselves that the Qantas group is offering these positions out of their desire to offer pilots ‘progression’ within the group. It’s a means to an end. Don’t confuse that with you having demonstrated the required standard to progress or you ‘deserving’ to be in mainline. You deserve nothing more than the opportunity to show your stuff and if you’re good enough and better than the next candidate (internal or external), you’re in.