Lets talk about INTEGRITY
As one who has been bonded in the past (1900 and B737) in SA, I believe it comes down to the individual's principles and integrity! Without entering into debate on whether training bonds are a good or a bad thing, or whether to pay for training upfront, my opinion is that it all comes down to the dotted line. When YOU sign on the dotted line, you accept the conditions as presented to you at the time and you therefore enter into a CONTRACT. Right or wrong, you signed on the line and so you have to meet the obligation that you have entered into. After all, I would like to think that our word is our bond!
Better opportunities will always come along- better pay, better equipment etc. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of those opportunities; there is nothing wrong with ambition. BUT, in so doing let us remember to keep our house in order.
I had a 1900 training bond with Rossair and I did my time. I had a B737 training bond with Comair and I left the company to pursue an opportunity in the USA. I was fortunate that I was one of 3 individuals who had their bonds cancelled in the immediate post 9-11 environment. By resigning at a time when jobs were in jeorpardy, we relieved the company of having to POSSIBLY consider retrenching some pilots using the LIFO practice (last in first out).
When I got to the USA, I ended up paying for another B737 type rating anyway! The FAA would not recognise my P2 B737 type because in the US, there is no such thing. I paid 7300 US Dollars for my type during a time when the R/$ was almost 14rand to the USD. This entailed one week of classroom + oral exam, 20 hours of sim (10 hours left seat, 10 hours right seat) and a check ride in the left seat of the sim with an experienced FO in the right seat. To pay for all this, we sold almost all of our possessions and arrived in the USA with VERY little. In the end, just when I was pretty close to being penniless, I joined Cathay.
In summary, it appears all to easy for some folk out there to forget how eager they were to agree to that 1900, ATR, or 737 training bond and to criticise the company that they earlier so willing decided to join, when something better comes along. Once the hours are in the logbook, screw the company! NO WAY! That's not what I plan to teach my 2 sons.