Finals the market has always being dominated by "those who can afford to fly will”.
With the exception of the RAF, places like Hamble (back in the day many years ago) and (before 9/11) OAT, yes I agree. And this forms a fundamental part of my argument. Its costly enough to do the ATPL basic training, let alone the almost mandatory requirement for an SSTR....
How much were you guaranteed when you started your ATPL ?
Absolutely nothing, nada, zilch mate. I was told that I would have to go out, search out that first illusive job, and really sell myself to get it. That job might have been para dropping, banner towing, instructing or Air Taxi - it was called working your way up the ladder.
If the pilots in the UK and elsewhere want to change this stop blaming the people at the bottom with zero leverage and start doing something.
Err...23 grand is quite a lot of leverage in my opinion.
Hard to believe but at one time airlines hired pilots off the ramp and trained them from zero hours but that is no longer the case.
And why is that? Because one day, really not that long ago, some guy somewhere said "hey, I'll finance my own type if you hire me..." He dropped the ball on that day and its been rolling downhill ever since...