Equally, the availability of a large immediate lump sum and most of their pension for those within 5 years of full-career point NRD on the old SA scheme, coupled with no retention incentive in the 2003 pay review was a guaranteed push factor - which only added to the other push factors of the time!
Push factors which appear to be ever-increasing whilst the airlines are snapping up any ex-RAF ME pilot who bothers to apply, from what I hear.