People reliably underestimate the effect of compound interest. Consider an extra £10k in your pension at 30 will be £100k at 65. Every £10k banked at 30 is a year you don’t have to work, or a few where you can be part time. The quicker you can get the captain pension coming in, the more flexibility you have down the line.
One can debate SH v LH, but everyone likes a day off.