Originally Posted by Loose rivets
Companies will take what they can get because of past experiences.
People have historically used the smaller companies as a stepping stone, with the same disregard. I once trained a whole string of pilots for a small operation with turbo-props. They came in one door, got their licence stamped, said thanks, and walked out of another door, sometimes never touched the airplane again. The boss protested–vigorously–that they gave him their word.
I can see the companies' point of view in such cases but the job under discussion here is different and there can be no justification whatsoever for money up front.
Come to think of it I can't think of any situation that would warrant such a payment or financing one's own type rating. I have no objection to a reducing bond but money up front? Never.