What constantly amazes me is that we keep going on about the old farts who refuse to retire(as though it is their fault) etc when it is patently obvious that the only reason the age limit keeps increasing is because it is cheaper for the managers to keep old farts flying than it is for them to pay decent wages for younger pilots.
In the old days(which are gone), a pilot could afford to retire at 55 because the system knew that it was unhealthy for him(and the passengers), to continue flying beyond that age. The managers have realised that it is cheaper to keep an older pilot flying for longer and pay less for his replacement(in the long run). They also know that we will attack one another in a fit of pique rather than band together, identify the problem and act together to correct it.
The longer I work here, the more I realise that we actually deserve this dismal treatment because we are just a bunch of wankers.