If you have less than the min's (1500/300) the company wants you to pay something like $10K.. they then pay you back over 2 years I think...
I think the LAST person to do that route was about 5 years ago, maybe longer...
With the amount of qualified people out there, HR is not even looking at people that are at or close to the min's anymore.
In my N/H class (2 1/2+ years ago)... 2 people were at Min's.. they were told no to bother to come to class unless they met the min's.. Their logbooks were both audited to make sure they met the min's before commencing class.
As for Street Captains again story...
I think was another ploy to piss off the pilot group by our management.
Upgrades... 2.5 to 3 years currently with about 20+ FO's in EACH base waiting to hold a line before making a jump to the left seat. I could see it going as low as 2 years.. but once those senior FO's can hold a line.. it will climb again.
Let's be real about this.. just about every FO with 2 1/2 years or better with the company will have the time and definately the seniority by the time the last jet is on the property. A 2 year FO is about seniority number 550 or so and we have just over 800 pilots currently.
Saying we will break into the 600's in seniority for Captain is possible, but it would be the VERY low 600's...
Most junior FO recently to be awarded Captain is about 420.. That is with 83 jets on the property...
we are getting another 46 jets at a staffing of about 4 per plane...
do the math and you will see where it will top out on upgrades.
The dudes getting hired today thinking they will see upgrade in 3 years were sold the same line of crap I was sold when I was hired.. Back then it was upgrade in less than a year. Then again, that was BEFORE they retired the Saab fleet.
Unless some serious attrition happens I agree that we could have upgrades in the 5 year or better category.
All of the GIA people who "may" be a factor.. will have the time in another 18 months or so. That alone will support the "theory" of 5 years or better once the last jet hits the tarmac in a little more than a year.