G.Khan, doesn't matter what planet you're on, what region of the planet are you on? THE industry, as you refer to it, might be the American industry. In Europe, it's possible to make command much sooner. Twelve years is a long time over here. And you seem to be a little frustrated or am I wrong? :)

Ooizcalling, so true, I know several captains approaching retirement that are thinking of joining one of the smaller airlines for a lot of money. And the smaller airlines need the experience pilots.

G.Khan,
I hope that you don't react like that in the cockpit.... If you reread my posting you will find that I made no reference to heavy jet command, I wrote simply "command." 12 years is now the approxiamate time to upgrade to captain B737 at a well known Dutch flag carrier. Heavy jet captain is for most of us now waaaaaaaaaay in the future.

Planet Earth, soon to be 5 miles above,
Long Haul

C´mon people.
It´s in the major companies best interest to keep the "old" guys!! (don´t wanna offend anyone by that term)
Training a pilot to that proficiency and experience cost them a lot of money.

At DLH they´ve even maxed it out moneywise.
At 55 you´re eligeble for "transitory" pay (max. 60% of your last gross) until you´re eligible for state pension (63 -65) for doing "nothing".
BUT - They can´t leave at 55 and fly someplace else without forever losing that "transitory" pay and making a loss on the transitory pay after 60.
(one captain flying is actually making less net, than a guy with the same time in company in retirement in the Canaries)

These guys get to fly part-time (max 75%).
So at age 55 they suddenly become the cheapest pilot in the cockpit (pay for driving minus missed transitory pay).

It´s their own personal decision, and I don´t blame anyone for doing it (even though they fought hard for the 55yr-limit), but they effectively block everyone else down on the ladder.

Let´s not get personal about this!

It´s just a matter of who has enough power, to make or change the rules...