Icarus53: While your statement is correct, it is actually more difficult to go across via the MOU.
Hugh,
I accept your point regarding the MOU. Although I am not completely across all the issues relating to it, I understand it involves a waiver of certain recruitment criteria for pilots with requisite length of service at QL.
That said, you are still entitled to apply under normal direct entry criteria. While conspiracy theorists abound saying that QF would not "rob Peter to pay Paul" by recruiting QL pilots, I don't consider this to be reasonable. Consequently, if you are outside QL at the moment, there is no reason to believe that taking a job will in any way negatively impact upon a future QF application.
To the subject of progression - a hot topic amongst QL pilots at present. I'll go out on a limb and state that I don't think the concept of progression to mainline will make any real difference to attrition rates as they exist.
Although I do believe in the concept of a GOL, I can't see any way to construct one in a way that works for both QF and QL (as well as for the pilots). On top of that, given the limited timeframe new hires are remaining with the company before being recruited by
VB,
JS and occasionally QF, there doesn't seem to be much enticement to stick around just to get a bid for a job you can have right now. I grant you that for many low-mid seniority CAPTs, progression into QF would be worth putting their E-Jet application on hold, however QL still end up losing them without much coming in the bottom end.
As always, I'm willing to hear constructive criticism of my view on the matter, but I'm sure there will be some measure of indiscriminate fire in my direction!
Icarus