Originally Posted by
felixthecat
Drawing a line in the proverbial sand at an age that you feel fitting, is myopic.
I agree with that. You need more parameters.
It was done at Swissair when it went broke: All above 52 were released, just as the youngest in the selection, training and probation phase. The parameter was however not essentially age, but the size of the quite nicely bolstered provident fund of these older pilots. With the new T&Cs at the unfriendly-taking over company Swiss, it was extrapolated what the youngest copilot in his new career would have summed up at the age of 60. Most over 52 at Swissair apparently already had way more than that and thus it was deemed fair to release them first.
Up to you to decide what is more fair, but there is a certain logic to target some older ones first. That however applies as well to the very youngest, as they can reroute their aspirations much easier and more successfully than a 45 year old pilot married with kids.
The thing i might add is, that this has to be done in a coordinated way. To expect the individual to go down that road alone is naive and preposterous.