Ladies and Gentlemen good luck with your struggle you got both thumbs up from me
If you are expected to travel such distances for your training etc it should be good seats. An airline should pride itself in its treatment of its staff particularly those with the ultimate responsibility for the companies most expensive assets.
Really do people want the situation arise that pilots end up paying for tickets so they can get to pay for their sim sessions. Perhaps they will be able to ask passengers which websites to get good deals on. Me thinks that many passengers would be really impressed to discover the people with their lives in their hands are struggling through sim checks due to fatigue and missing out on many valuable items that are experienced through simulators.
MOR many of those airlines you know of that had their pilots travel 20 plus hours to use simulators were they African airlines or from areas with high risk's and poor safety records? Or was the M6 or M25 just busy those days.
You guys at Mt Cook all the best please do the best you can as many people below you, next to you, and that will follow you will appreciate the stand that you are taking for your T and C's.
For those of you with keen eyes and far superior English than I pick away guys as I have passed the one English test that matters to me and my family.
Kia Kaha