When I board a legacy carrier's aircraft, I worry about the occupant of the left seat. I worry he's there because his number came up and he scraped through, or had 'friends'. None of them are there solely because they're able.
I'm with Ernest Gann (and there's no better company to be in).
Seniority has ruined this profession. Meritocracy, in a properly run airline, is the way to go. There are crap outfits, like the one fair weather flyer refers to, of course, but every sphere of business has its dross.