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Good post.
I was told 6-7 years when I joined and then it was 9 years to command. Rather than rely on bar talk I have actually quantified time to command based on expected growth rate and actual retirements over next 15 years. I can tell you there is no way it will be 9 years. People that joined 9 years ago are doing command, but new joiners today are looking at 12-13 years assuming no extrinsic event. Over the last 10 years we have had Asian contagion, SARS, bird flu, 9-11. Intrinsically we had ASL introduced. All these events slow the command rate down. Without them it would have been 6-8years instead of 9 years.
So, bottom line, I am saying it will be 12-13 years 'best case scenario'.
citation 10
I have many friends that are or were in the sandpit. Airline management is the same here and there. Pay is better there. Its closer to EUR there, and closer to Oz here.
Given command times, I would join QF/BA or home carrier equivalent. At least you can make some lifestyle decisions whilst waiting for command. If you live to fly and want the left seat, go somewhere you can get it fast. EK would be a superior choice to QR. In 10 years at EK you will be over 30% financially better off than working for CX - assuming you dont leave mrs citation and lose 50% ;-)