Seniority
Seniority serves you up on a plate to be dissected at the time when you are to be considered for command (in, quite naturally, seniority order). There then follows a complex and extremely thorough programme of establishing whether or not you are fit for the transition. Some make it, some don’t. (Well, all this happens in ‘proper’ airlines but I cannot speak for ‘improper’ ones.) Those who have shown exceptional ability whilst in the right hand seat should have no trouble. However, to pluck them out of the F/O list out of order, whether it be because of a demonstration of that ability, or on a whim or because of brown-nosing would soon bring that airline to its knees – or, more likely, a sudden stop.
Prober