UFO scales
The following is financial advice so blah blah blah your own accountant or financial adviser;-)
If you spent 10 years on pax B scales vs UFO scales, you will earn almost 10% more on US, Aus and UK bases. If you are a current employee and choose to take an FO basing, in FO seniority you can remain on B scales until UFO passes it. In that case if you switch in your 5th year you will earn 1% more than if you remained solely on the pax B scale.
NOTE! For US based guys, there are only 10 increments in UFO vs 14 for USAB pax. So in that case, staying on pax scale is the smart thing to do.
Once you nominate onto UFO, you can't come back to pax FO B scales - Command scales unaffected.
If you are an SO and bid for a pax basing out of seniority (ie if you are not the most senior SO) then you will automatically start on UFO.
Lets say you had a year to go till your FO upgrade. If you went on Aus basing now(1/1/08) your starting salary will be $92,664 (+HDP+15.5%). If you wait a year till your upgrade and then bid on the base in seniority as an FO, your starting salary (1/1/09) will be $126,024 (+HDP+15.5%). In the year you are waiting for upgrade you could reasonably assume to receive some bypass pay due to all the DEFOs. Currently about 20 DEFOs.
Million dollar question - will the FO base be available in a years time? Are you prepared to take a base and forever waive your right to bypass pay(which could possibly be over a million HKD lost)?
Take your time - think it through - I am happy to do 'what ifs' if you PM me - just don't expect a quick reply;-)