Lets call it what it is - A Training Captain Protection Scam
but given that it has been acknowledged that the revenue generated keeps the excess trainers training, it is preferable from the airline's point of view to maintain the currency of this valuable resource in the event of a future upturn.
we should tell the truth
bmi have always been top heavy with trainers, even when the airline didn’t run a command course for over 7 years the training department flourished. Right now at current numbers they have too many trainers, yet they are reducing the flight deck population by over a quarter and surprise, surprise the trainers find a way to protect themselves during this time.
Let’s not paint this cadet scheme as anything other than what it is – a jobs for the boys training ticket protection scheme!!!
From a personal point of view, given that the daily expenses probably wouldn't cover the cost of petrol, etc; and I'm not chasing hours,- I am more than happy to spend an extra day with my family on the few occasions where I'm given a day off in lieu of these cadets.
Then I can only assume you will be one of the first to volunteer for redundancy, think of how much petrol money you will save then.
I'm sure the 8 redundant pilots who could have kept their jobs had this scheme be thrown out will have bigger things to worry about than petrol money.