el caballero rojo - Why would you ask to join on a fleet that is not yet operating? The airbus is scheduled to arrive Q1 2010. Did you not check this before you went for the interview? Global? Why take you (as new joiner) on a fleet that probably half of the current pilots want to get on? A group of pilots just finished type training on the 850. If you ask for 100K and the offer was 65K, would you take it and be happy with it? That's probably one reason why you got a "thanks but no thanks".
Good luck!
CP