Thought I would share some insight.
Having done all the assessments, speaking to a few cadets presently in the school at various stages of training - I can confirm that the delays are much worse than they sound like. Most of the posts in this thread are true. The training agreement between Alpha Aviation Academy UAE & G-Air Portugal has been cancelled with the last batches struggling to complete their cross country.
Delays between ground school and core flying are an average of 4-10 months. There is hope for improvement since SevenAir Academy has signed a new contract with Alpha and the first batch tied with SevenAir started. This should reduce the time between core flying phase and ground school. Problems begin to start upon return from core flying as you wait to begin A320 ground school, then again between base training and simulator assessments. If you are lucky to make it till here, flying the bus till 750 hours and the airline will decide based on your performance and availability to let you continue for another 750 hours as per the agreement.
If not the case, you can either be delayed further or simply denied progressing your hours and removed from training citing you have fallen below their requirements. Yes, it is now 'temporary S.O' contract. There have been cases between a transfer of visa, where the academy will transfer your visa from Alpha to Air Arabia before beginning training on the A320, where cadets have had their security clearance or entry permit rejected. If they feel so, you can reapply after a year, if not you are on your own. It is beyond their control as they claim.
If you have managed to reach the 1500 hour with your MPL, the ATPL can be delayed, as it requires airline approval to sign you off for the skill test. This is the least of worry as long as you agree to fly with them at low pay for as long as you can under changing contracts, without causing any incidents or accidents, then depending on availability, you will have the chance to get your unfrozen ATPL. Mind you, this does not necessarily happen at 1500 hours, it could be anytime later. Then you bond under a certain amount of currency and fly for them. Most applicants that began with training in 2014-16 are still flying on temporary contracts. 2010-2014 and before, the majority have gotten a placement with the airline.
Late 2016 till date, they are still under training. Although the brochure says 18 months, Alpha claims 20-24 months but the students speak for themselves saying it can be 36 months or longer. If you are not a resident in the UAE, be sure to add the expenses of transportation, food, accommodation, medical, extra visa (if applicable), security clearance fee (if applicable), extra exam fee (if applicable), extra flying hours or simulator sessions (if applicable) all clubbed with AED 630,000 (UAE VAT inclusive) for the complete training + AED 8060 + VAT (5%) for assessments and Class 1 medical including the UAE security clearance done in one go.
As for assessments, panel interview can be a bit tricky, do prepare well for it, or they might just fail you if they feel you could improve and come back in 6 months. It is only AED 800 so no big deal. English, Physics, Math and Psychomotor are basic GCSE level. It tests your high school fundamentals, practice well and you are fine. Psychometric assessment is now with EDMA Institute and costs AED 3150. I have heard people fail this due to the new battery test that tests your cognitive and spatial abilities along with general personality tests.
They will not share your results so it is up to the academy to decide based on your performance, I have been told it is the hardest stage of the assessment. If you don't clear it, come back after 1 year and pay the amount - they should take you. Each course starts every alternate month and they have not reduced the batches however they did reduce the overall annual intake due to insufficient aircraft. Presently 37 A320-200 with 5 or 7 leased A321 CEO/NEO to join later. The company claims their present fleet is 44 with 44 more A320 to come.
A separate news agency quoted plans to order 100 more A320NEO/B737/C Series jets by the end of the year. You join Alpha at your own risk if you have enough or more funding for the course. If you are not worried about spending 232,000 USD and have all the time - Alpha Aviation is for you. If the time is right and luck is in your pocket then you will end up with a contract and be happy. If anything changes, expect to go to jail or debt.
As the assessments at Alpha have a validity of 1 year, I have applied for the EasyJet MPL and if successful will begin training with them. I urge anyone else considering Alpha to weigh in other possibilities as well. Keep it your last resort.
All the best.