Amen Chris, your points make perfect sense and if you ever get involved in airline recruitment then let me know and I’ll fire my CV at you.
In all seriousness, I know that I will never get into the left hand seat of the latest 4 engine Boeing or Airbus flying across the globe for a large flag carrying national on a six figure salary so I am not looking at treating a regional operator as a stepping stone or some sort of advanced training organisation.
My mortgage is paid off and our son is at an age where he can be reasonably independent without me being behind him and we are not planning on having any more. If I could manage a right hand seat in a turboprop or narrow body jet flying passengers or cargo with people that I enjoy working for on a stable(ish) roster and provide a reasonable standard of life for my family with reasonable promotion prospects then I would have a smile on my face that would make the Cheshire cat look like a manic depressive.
I am sure that there are many more mature low hours ladies and gents who would feel the same way. Sadly the airlines run their recruitment campaigns as they feel fit and I cannot influence that.
Good luck to the old and low timers currently seeking work.