I can second the fact that I have met many cadets who are off to BA after being with easy for around a year or less.
I do not know the exact payscales for cadets but for myself (ex ATP scheme) I am financially better off staying put bearing in mind command in another 2 years approx. That is over the short term ofcourse (5-7 years).
Do not get sucked into the hype of oxford guys getting into easy. They have done so through ctc or gecat. If the latter, they have paid 20k on top of oxfords absurd prices. However, the demand is such that they are looking at gecat because ctc can't supply enough cadets now.
So yes, the requirements are lowering. I would not be surprised if for this reason gecat are now asking for integrated graduates only.
There will always be people leaving for BA or those who want longhaul once they have the experience. However many people are leaving the company because of rostering and lifestyle issues. As a wannabe however easy is honestly one of the best airlines you could join. 2 years with easy and your career options will be fantastic.