Thanks for the reply fatbus.
So, if a junior A330 FO takes the jump over to the A380 as an FO, what would be the next step for him/her? If LHS is not achievable for 20 years, would that FO basically sit on the A380 or would there be an incentive to bid the 777 (if a Boeing jump is possible from the Airbus fleet) to get a more attractive rating (assume you already have the A330 type)? Personally I think your 20 year estimate is a bit extreme - I would bet that pilot attrition and the net aircraft orders (i.e., A380s, 777s and A350s replacing older A330/40s and 777s) would probably reduce that 20 year estimate a bit. Still, the wait to upgrade would be a long one.
In the short term, I guess I can see why senior A330 FOs are being sought because they could probably make the jump to Capt after a few years on the SUPER. Well, I guess if you have to sit as FO for many, many years, the A380 wouldn't be a bad choice at all - at least you could avoid the late-night, short hops to India and Pakistan for now (until more arrive)...