I started airline flying aged 36, and regularly fly with captains younger than myself. Personally, I am very happy to have had the experience of a previous career. It gives me perspective and keeps my feet on the ground, as well as being a useful 'Plan B' in case I ever lose my medical. Of course, starting 10 years earlier would have meant considerably more career progression and seniority, but as I said, the life experience is compensation.
One thing I have noticed is that when I meet the occasional "woe is me", jaded, bitter and twisted individual, they have invariably been flying all their working life, and have no experience of anything else. To them, the world outside is a special place, where doctors, lawyers and accountants all earn far more money for far less work. Their lack of real world experience is quite obvious.
Rather than envy your colleagues who are further up the seniority ladder, I'd celebrate the fact that you have done something else before coming to flying. At 28, you still have a mere 37 years of flying to look forward to. Put like that, it's difficult to argue that you've missed the boat.
