You either have a seniority system or you don't. QF have a system of grading people as to whether they are ready for promotion or need to be assessed. If they are considered to be ready for promotion then it shouldn't matter which type they are bidding for as long as their number allows it. I also agree that any promotion should involve a pay rise. Unfortunately pay rates have been based on a speed/weight formula which was ok when new aeroplanes were bigger and faster than the types they were replacing. If the airlines want to encourage people to seek promotion from S/O to F/O then it should translate into a bigger pay packet.