I have been against the concept of Datal Seniority since 1988.
I have flown with captains who have been totally out of their depth when dealing with wx, pax, all sorts of operational stuff. After returning to Australia after some years overseas, I was agast at the low standard of some captains that I flew with. I often had to hold the hand of the incompetant.
I could hardly believe, after I got my own command (B737) at the attitude of some FOs who felt that Datal Seniority confered upon them some automatic "right of passage" to the Left Hand Seat, when it was quite clearly beyond them.
Datal Seniority not only lowers the standard of our industry (here we are unique) but also serves to erode our Terms & Condidtions.
The sooner our industry ditches this outmoded concept, the better off we all will be.
