Why are upgrades still happening at AC?

[Dronepiper]

I saw a post of someone who just went 320 Captain at AC. They upgraded from FO. They were not very senior. I am sure there is an easy explanation, but can someone please explain to me how this happened during the biggest down turn of our century when hundreds of pilots are laid off?

[ZBBYLW]

Once you're part way through the upgrade process our CA allows for the candidate to continue with their upgrade. It's a little awkward right now for max guys or Rouge guys who as per the CA can continue their upgrade, but they don't have an airplane to do it on.

[Victory]

They were REALLY short on pilots. They've been hiring 500 a year for multiple years. So what you think is junior might not be so. Before Covid people with less than 2 years at the company were being awarded Captain positions. A lot of those awards have been stripped away now but people there for longer than that still have their Captain seats after completing training.

[valleyboy]

welcome to the world of collective agreements -- which is not a bad thing, just confusing from time to time

[ChiefTraining]

That, as stated above AND, with the normal attrition rate in any airline now being doubled by COVID, and now so many extra early retirements and packages to old senior pilots, that attrition rate has skyrocketed beyond what ANY airline had planned for with this COVID. When it calms down and the travel world opens again, they can't be caught with their pants down either, they need Captains.

[Cap'n P8]

To be clear, an upgrade candidate will be allowed to finish the upgrade to completion, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will still be holding the position. If they were reduced on a bid during their upgrade they would then eventually be trained to their new APOS.