There are various grades that new hire co-pilots can join on, based on experience when joining. Those with little commercial experience join as Second Officers, for which there are three different grades and payscales and those with an ATPL unfrozen and (I think) 500hrs on jets start as F/Os. There is no such thing as a 'Senior' F/O. As the Second Officer builds experience he/she moves up the grades until they meet the requirements to become an F/O, at which stage they get the promotion.

Everyone joins a seniority list in order, at the bottom, based on date of joining. If a number start on the same day then seniority is based on age for that group. It does not follow necessarily that those that join before you get promoted before you to captain though. For instance, Thomsonfly have been recruiting direct entry captains, although they join the seniority list at the bottom and are 'junior' as you term it, to the S/O above them, they are nonetheless a captain. Also, remember that Thomsonfly recruit a lot of very inexperienced pilots too, so if you join behind them with considerably more experience and meet the requirements for command before them, you may get a command before them. This is exactly how I got my command, as many more 'senior' F/Os didn't meet the experience criteria or chose not to bid for a command on the 737, something incidentally that many are now doing.

PP

Pilot Pete
Have you got any idea how TOM are handling the ageism law that starts Nov 06, which basically means that the criteria you explain is no longer possible??:\

A lot of myth surrounding the change in legislation. It was covered in this this thread.
I did provide a link in that thread to the actual legislation if you want to read it.

Mr Angry
 

With reference to your last post, I can officially certify that "TOM" could not handle a handball by Handy Jack McHandy from Handsworth if it had a handle.

They recruit with the same flair as they retain their brand image and customer loyalty.:ugh:

They're going to abide with it.

PP