Which concludes that an MPL graduate has at least a 50% chance of flying in an airline due to the Airbus A320 license
Taken slightly out of context here but I believe it sums up a lot of your thinking.
Just because you have that rating on you license do not expect airlines to come to you begging you to work for them! The bigger outfits turn plenty of people down with ATPL / boeing
plus airbus ratings and several thousand hours on jets! They are not looking to save a few pounds on a rating they are looking at a potential pilot that will do their company proud for 30+ years! They are looking at
you. If you are a to$$er with a rating expect to be shown the door. If you are a good bloke without a rating but meet their criteria, welome aboard! There are plenty of cases of ATPL candiates paying for an airbus rating at £20K+ to find that no-one is in the slightest bit interested in it
My company took a lot of people with airbus ratings on and put then though a boeing 777 course and took me on with a light jet rating and put me on an airbus course (at the same time) - why not save money and employ bloke A on the 'bus and only pay for one course? Because they are not that bothered!
When looking at the bigger picture most companies do not see a type rating as a major cost (and most will 'bond' you for it anyway -differing methods ranging from paying them back at a fews hundred pounds a month to paying nothing unless you resign within a few years).
Also you were saying £36K is 50 - 60% cheaper than an ATPL. Don't think that a £75 integrated course is the only way to do it. If you go modular and are willing to travel (USA is a good option) you may only be looking at £45-50K all in (At least I did in 2003).
Bottom line is - don't be the guinea pig! You don't say how soon you are looking to apply, but you could end up with nothing but a £36,000 framed certificate on mummy's wall
if the airlines don't go for it.
Let someone else run the gauntlet and follow their success (whether than be with a 'proven' MCL in 5 years time or with an ATPL next year)
ps - don't think you will be flying a 340 on a 319 license with little more than 'differences training' (Unless you are aleardy tri- rated on the boeing 737/747/777
)