Leon, WHY AREN'T THE AIRLINES FIGHTING THIS ONE?
It was answered earlier, the second they extend the old guys, there will be thousands stuck at the bottom or worse just outside the door. For years. Now, the wages for those minions will drop through the basement, thats how the business will make it a zero sum game.
Until sick bank usage skyrockets. Yes, currently it gets worse as guys get close to 60. But, they need those sick bank days to pay for age 60-65 medical by trading them in later for COBRA. What happens when those sick bank days become useless unless used overnight? You got it, sick calls up the wazoo. Money for nothing, chicks for free.
I still see years of costly union and company litigation even with legal restrictions. The question they will fight for is "how is it right to one day be to old, the next day not, yet someone just as old in 24 hours gets to stay?" You cannot argue that one and win before the supreme court. YMMV.