Towers,
Very good points, well said.
Those companies who demand constant autopilot use are, in my opinion, a threat to aviation safety, and to the passengers which they carry.
Manual flying skills absolutely need to be properly maintained, and this positively includes busy TMA's.
IF pilots cannot handle manual flying without having an anxiety attack, they need to be brought up to speed, quick.
Either that or reassigned to a ground job.
Recall one post on the Tech Forum awhile back about a First Officer, who found it a ...'nightmare' to hand fly the aircraft after an autopilot failure.
Ask yourself, is this the guy you want at the pointy end flying you...or your family?