In my opinion, Thomsonfly are being honest and up front. I have now applied to a fair few of these training scheme/sponsorships now and what I seemed to have learnt is that you end paying for it all anyway! It's just the way you look it!
CTC with easyjet for example.
You go through selection and pay similar fees. If you are lucky enough to get through then you take out a loan in your own name, therefore your completely responsibility for it and the airline will pay 'x' amount off your loan a month for you. However you are then on a reduced salary with them until your loan is paid off. Hence surely you are really paying for it. However if you fail training - your still responsible for the loan. Once graduated from CTC in NZ you are put in a holding pool and easyjet can come and get you within the first six months. But there is no guarantee of a job at the end of it either! So really what is different? Just the way you view it in my opinion. I have heard that what was once the British airways full sponsorship scheme was the same set-up, but correct me if I'm wrong.
Same goes for part sponsorship schemes, they pay so much of your training fees, but you are on a reduced salary for so many years afterwards. And I bet the amount lost in reduced salary will cunningly be near enough the cost of the money they put in! And again no guarantee of a job afterwards. Again speculation, but I think it's realistic.
As for the statements they use when advertising/offer a scheme regarding employment/performance, I believe that all these caveats are there just to protect the airline. For example if there was another 9/11 (and god forbid there isn't), or a slump in the industry and no longer any requirement for cadets then they have covered themselves. They surely would not go to all the trouble of organising selection days if there wasn't the genuine intent to employ these cadets after their training.
Anyway I have been accepted onto the Thomsonfly scheme and I will be bending over backwards to raise the money to make it there!! Might be my only break you never know!!
Any well done who got through and good luck to you all who are trying!
Last edited by the foz; 4th Jan 2005 at 17:05.