I think command times are coming down at Nelson. It will get to 2 years again in the next few years, it looked like it might have gone to 5 but no now (unless you have your heart set on low turn over bases).
As for the choice between operators. Eagle will be a quicker command, so after 10 months in the job you will get a command and sit next to a guy with 2 months experience in the right seat....sounds awesome to me.
Nelson is a good outfit. Pays ok (far better than eagle), the contract (the ALPA one at least) is good, the plane is good and the training is'nt a big w@nk-fest. Oh, and while I'm upsetting people the 1900D "Airliner" is a peice of junk.
But at the end of the day ANZ value command time which you will get faster at Eagle. However there are two things to consider are:
1 - Should the music stop (ie the industry lunch itself like in the downturn) what seat in which plane do I want to be in?
2 - What happens if I dont get into Air NZ? Alot of people are talking like its a given or a birth-right. They can say no, then what?