The bottom line is, that an airline like Virgin has to ensure it gets the right type of person. Look at PPJN it comes under the heading 'Legacy'. In other words if you get there you cant go any higher really when you think about it. Your at the top of the industry in one of the top airlines.
The hours are there for a reason. They want experience and maturity. Even if you were one of these lucky ones to have been flying from 16, by the time you got your CPL and got anywhere near those sort of hours, your going to be on the upper side of your twenties, if not early thirties. Thats my opinion anyway.
They want maturity and experience, guys and girls who will stay and have a life outside of flying, house wife kids etc. Someone who is stable