Do you have any idea how they select the allocations?
I’ve heard from several folks that one’s preference is sought at the final interview, with no promises made. The typical courteous/diplomatic response goes along these lines;
”Thanks for asking. I’m keen to join Qantas asap but, if there were to be a choice, I’d say that my family’s location near (eg Sydney) would make that Base more desirable because we wouldn’t need to relocate. However, I would accept any Base I’m offered”.
Occasionally people have deferred their start by up to to few months in order to get their preferred base/type. That choice can have unintended consequences in terms of future extremes in one’s career; promotion choices and demotions/redundancies can/will be determined by time on the seniority list. Additionally, word on the street is that among the immediately pre-Covid joiners, many took several years LWOP (under duress) but have done ok by returning to previous work/locations/better pay & are in no particular hurry to return to QF as junior pilots (S/Os)…. Why would they? Once you’ve got a ‘seniority number’ it lasts forever until retirement.
So many choices!😜