Guys i am currently working in REC for some other airline.....i don't know about EK but over here we always higher DEC but our F/O's have priority. opening up for DEC will never stop internal upgrades but from a man power planning point of view when you short on captains u just simply need to higher captains because training an F/O will take time and as much as we love upgrades some one has to occupy that right seat as well.
i know it sux if you where a skipper and join EK on the right and now the job is open for DEC...but i guess we have to accept the decisions we make in life.