Most of your questions are answered here;
http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi? ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001724
Seniority IS common. I believe they have enough crews now - no harm in applying though. There is no IFALPA recruitment ban; Dragonair is majority owned by Chinese concerns.
[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: mcdude ]