Capt. Oryx,
In Airlines with "speed/weight" salary formulas, nobody ever jumps the que.
You join as a junior FO, after 15 years or so you will be a Capt on EMB145 or, if lucky, on 737 or 320. 10 years later you might get a left seat on a 767/777 or 330 and you will start earning the big bucks.
Nothing wrong with that as it is called a career plan.
In QR one can be flying for 10 years, working his butt of on the A320 while tomorrow a DEC can come in with 737 experience (got his command by luck in a dodgy airline somewhere) and he can be given a left seat on the 777.
Instantly he will make more money than the other one does, even though the second one has the same function/grade and he had to jump all the loops (and believe me, many loops exist here) to get where he is.
Do you think that is fair?
There is no use in comparing apples with bananas mate! The system sucks overhere and you know it. Just remember that, because you might have been lucky when joining now on 777, tomorrow you might find yourself in a different position with guys jumping over your head, making more money than you do just because...Lets see how you talk then!
Ned, you are right. The goat does not give a damn. I just wanted to make sure people here realize that!