In any seniority based airline it's always bad on the bottom but there is better advancement now than in the past decades. Opportunities in the left seat are there I would agree, because limited bids and lifestyle etc. Commuters rarely take lower seniority positions for obvious reasons, leaving them open for others with less seniority. AC has lot's of commuters.
The thread is about AC hiring, they are to be doing that for the foreseeable future and there will many choices made available depending on one's priorities if hired.