Originally Posted by jeremyBA

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But equally there is a marketplace, and within that a market price. The flying of an airliner to the required standard seem in effect to now be a commodity. Your dont even get to see them much anymore behind their closed doors.

This seems proven as promotions are based in huge huge part on time served not supreme ability. You have to understand the systems and fly it properly, hold the medical etc to get the job - so the entry requirements are high. It is probably the last industry where time served and hours flown are the almost sole determinate of seniority as opposed to ability.

Does hours flown make a difference. Absolutely. But there will be a point where you enter the law of diminishing returns as those hours will have allowed you to see a wide variety of weather, systems issues etc.

I know it would be nice to think of BA pilots as special but they will hold the identical licences to their colleagues, have identical line checks, medicals etc.