In essence this situation is summed up by TC's own recruitment advertising: Which is even now still the wording; showing how untrustworthy the mangement have become.
Quote:
"Opportunities
At Thomas Cook Airlines, we are committed to a pilot workforce of varied experience and backgrounds. As a result, our recruitment policy aims to provide opportunities to pilots and potential pilots of all experience levels. This ensures that individuals advance from within. In turn, this means we do not anticipate recruiting direct entry Captains, Pilot trainers or Managers."
To then go on to advocate use of Direct Entry Command from the US over the Summer is blatantly stamping on the apirations of the Pilot workforce that the Company TCX have led them to believe exists.
The TCX workforce have always believed that whilst there were suitably experienced and qualified people within its own camp the company would honour the no Direct Entry Commands. I believe that the company itself has already listed some 14 FO's as suitable for command and a good deal of those have already finished command assesments, so there can be no argument from TCX management that suitable candidates do not currently exist from within its own workforce.