The thing is that the VR will be targeted at getting the top 100 seniority pilots off the 747 / 767 fleets. The balance that the company has to strike now is a package that is financially good enough to encourage them to leave. When British Airways called for VR in 2009 the package they put on the table was one months pay for each year of service capped at 24 months (2 years). They also allowed you to keep staff travel for the same amount of time you had been in the company, so if you were a 25 year veteran you would get staff travel for 25 years
BA wanted 150 pilots to take VR and opened it up to EVERY pilot, most guys thought the top 150 would jump at this offer especially since they had expected to retire at 55 and only the year before were allowed to work until 65. When all was said and done ONLY 78 pilots accepted VR and some 10% of those were 'junior' pilots. The lesson learned was that there is much more at play with these decisions than pure money. Has anyone thought that the top guys may just actually really enjoy their work and no amount of money would convince them to give it up?
A call for the older guys/girls to move aside for the younger generation is 'not on' in my opinion. Everyone joined knowing that seniority is king. The opportunity for VR may actually be attractive for say a junior FO on the 767 or 747 fleet who may have something else in the pipe line and will gladly take the money and run.