eeper - yes, I note your comments about massaging of figures by both BA and BALPA - and as I said the best way of comparing apples with apples is to take everyone's salaries, benefits etc on an annual basis and divide them by the number of hours flown. Indeed, one would - and should - be able to argue that the pilot of a B747 should earn the same as that of an ATR or 737. As far as I'm aware, bus drivers don't get more for driving double deckers; and train drivers don't get paid by the carriage!
As for promotion by seniority vs ability - I can't think offhand of any industry (except for the Co-op) which works on a 'muggins turn' system - and most definately not one where the practitioners regard themselves as professionals! Can you come up with any?
Just because other carriers pay their people more doesn't make it a good thing - in fact right now any carrier with high overheads is in a pretty precarious position.
Flap Sup - According to IATA figures, KLM and SAS simply have more staying power - their cash position divided by overhead is much greater than that of, say, BA - which is one of the highest geared airlines in Europe (after SN, I believe).
As for SAS post-LIN, I agree that the balls are up in the air there; though the Scandinavians tend to be much more brand-loyal in such circumstances than the Brits or the Yanks are.