Of course the other thing to remember for all the DEFOs (Freighter and Pax) is that if it now takes 12-13 years for command. The F/O pay scales dont go anywhere after 10years. Another 2-3 year saving for the company!!!
Next one is to gain max benefit in the short term, F/Os need to swap to COS08 and the unified pay scales The unified pay scales are actually less at the Yr5 and 6 SFO level than the COS99 ones. Yet another saving for the company.
Haven't done the figures but my bet would be that the savings from the COS08 SFO YR5 & 6 and the extra 2-3 years spent on the F/O pay scales would be cost neutral to the company and effectively not amount to a pay rise over the 12-13 yr period at all.
Only looked at the AUS base, sure to be different elsewhere.