I think if the company is holding off pax slots due economic conditions and leaving guys waiting for years then the AOA shouldn't have been pushing to get freighter guys into the pax fleet at the same time. One group of crew screwed the other.
Albadross.....you seem to have a complete misunderstanding of the whole DEFO issue. Before 1st jan 2000, there was just ASL flying the freighter. ON that day, ASL pilots were allowed to join the bottom of the seniority list. just like you and i did when we joined. the ones that didnt join generally did so for reasons like a quicker freighter command or the chance to work until they were 60 (as opposed to 55 in our CoS).
every other freighter pilot who has joined cathay since then has joined the cathay seniority list on his date of joining. they do not move to hkg to take an SO's chance of an ugrade, they move to hkg to take a pax position that was by right theirs. SO's do three years making beds, then upgrade. DEFO's on the freighter do three years on the freighter then upgrade to the pax fleet. it is the same thing based on seniority and has been for 8 1/2 years.
ASL? most joined cathay in 2000, of those who stayed, most of them have either retired or joined oasis or similar, leaving how many? 10? and they were integrated to the pax fleet this year not after begging the AOA to become a passenger pilot...no...because the company could not crew the freighter with the FACA in place. remove ASL, no FACA, we all fly the freighter.
just take this away from this.....most freighter pilots choose to fly the freighter because they dont want to be an SO or would rather have a basing. they move to the pax fleet by rights, not taking anyone elses place, just in pure seniority having served a minimum of "3 years on the freighter fleet". so to the ASL bashers out there, get a grip of the facts. To the SO's who think that DEFO's on the freighter should not join the pax fleet....well the move is theres by rights!