You´re right about the -200´s. Those must be worse than the ex-Go junkers we have in the EZY fleet!
Again the UK/Ireland/US are ideologically not far apart! If it ain´t broke (or it has not completely collapsed yet) don´t fix it!
BTW, regarding the £50,- application fee: you can apply free with EZY and you already have the 737 type! EZY is not the greatest airline in the world and you need to look beyond the ´we´re a happy little family´ hype, but we
do get crewmeals and bottles of water
and have BALPA recognition!