Heavens, it certainly is getting warm in here, don't you think...
I suppose, Devil, that where legal matters are concerned, you are quite joyfully out of your depth. I do, however, salute your bravery. In my country, such as it is, given the choice between tickling a Grizzly Bear's behind and winding up a very sharp lawyer, pass the feather please.
As is evident, cronyism is not only alive and well, but firmly entrenched within the very highest levels of the industry. I, for one, do not see these practices as detrimental to the flying public, indeed the UK airlines continue to maintain a remarkably high level of safety, thanks in part to the efforts of the gentlemen that are currently posting on this thread. It goes without saying, of course, that the Chief Pilot must not only be above reproach, but brutally honest with himself and his reasons for rejecting or terminating a pilot under his supervision. What is becoming increasingly clear, thanks to HoltCJ's learned treatise, is how at odds these practices are with the laws of the land, and that alone should provide urgent impetus to a thorough reassessment of current selection methods.
We know that the Old Boy's Network exists, and that it operates in a clandestine manner. We also know, however, that when properly and diligently exercised, it contributes to the overall safety of the airline industry. It follows then, that the key lies in establishing a codifed system of guidelines that truly serve the flying passenger, while providing redress for the unfortunate few who have fallen victim to an Old Boy with issues.
HoltCJ, your comments are informative and illuminating, and most certainly a needed addition to this forum. Kindly excuse the fraternity of wind-up artists that frequent these pages. Piloting large airliners is a game of self-confidence, (dead-sticking several hundred tons of titanium to a successful landing requiring very large balls, for example), and as such, humility a rare and questionable commodity.