Airbus FOs have been bypassed for at least 6yrs. Remember when the junior guys were sent to the Boeing for transition upgrade while the more senior fellas were taken off command course and delayed another year! What about all the Bus guys bypassed by the Boeing FOs? Search this forum and you will find lots and lots written on this subject from 2003/2004 at least.
The information is out there, but still they come and get surprised.
And don't be too sure about Boeing command times coming down to 3yrs. By the end of 2012 there are only 11 Boeing deliveries left, unless another order is given rather sharpish. Take a look at the seniority list and look at the ratio of Boeing to Airbus FOs hired in the last 4 yrs. I think the Boeing guys hired in the past two years have already missed out on a command spot, unless more orders happen, or the rules change. To add to that pain, they are still on the same basic pay as a guy joining in March 2011.
But don't listen to us. Come on over and join and be surprised when it happens to you.
An EK pilot will be sacked for making a missed approach at Manchester, but management types get promoted for running this cluster of HR.
I hope that changes are made to fix this badly thought out and grossly unfair upgrade policy. But until it somehow effects the EK bottomline I can't see that happening.
The Don