So junior Pilot A takes LWOP for 12 months.
Not so junior Pilot B gets made CR and gets associated payout.
12 months comes around and guess what..flying is back...both Pilot A and Pilot B come back.
12 months comes around and guess what...no flying is back... Pilot A faces new choice LWOP or CR. Pilot B makes the yearly required contact to stay on ‘the list’.
9 months come round and the company can offer employment to Pilot A or Pilot B but not both. Pilot B gets the phone call.
It’s my humble opinion any desire to ‘play’ the system to your advantage is misguided. IF VR numbers were too low and the company wish to deal to a surplus, by all means take LWOP, but any perceived benefits are probably just that.
As others have pointed out VR/CR manages a surplus. LWOP does not. If I were faced with the current predicament, as I was previously, I would say Sit Tight! If things go south take your payment and get on with life. The phone will ring one day.
Also don’t forget the potential impact on Qantas red tail subsidiaries with Mainline CR