Pre September there was 800 pilots of which around seventy or so were over the age of 58. Some fifty out of the 800 have taken redundancy and the A320 pilots who put in for it were refused. Apparently around ten more have been sacked for flying for other airlines without permission from Ansett. The old blokes are hanging in there hoping for their jobs back. The younger blokes just wish they would go away and retire.
Ansett did not have seniority as such, however promoted on an "experience and qualifications" system which broadly paralled seniority but gave the company more discretion over the promotions.
As for the old boys staying on, I think the younger pilots will be given preference. Certainly no one will be displaced off the A320 for someone with more years of service. Why would an employer get rid of a thirty year old A320 FO so they could train up a 63 year old ex 767 captain? It does not mke economical sense these days.
In relation to compulsory redundancies, at this stage there has been no discussion of it as there is still no positive indication as to what is going to happen.