RTO you're wrong on almost all counts, I'm afraid. Don't go entirely by what websites say and by secondhand information from friends. As Dan and I have or do work for Virgin, we can tell you that Virgin most specifically does not require pilots to be rated. Neither does Cathay, Dragonair, nor Emirates - though all these airlines require considerable experience. Britannia, Ryanair and easyJet have all been taking pilots unrated on the types flown by these airlines, even though their advertising asks for rated pilots. Qatar has also, though I'm not sure what their line is now. DHL and Jet2 I can't speak of.
But you're right in one aspect - mad_jock is talking rubbish!
Scroggs