I would think it should depend on who's employing. For example, when I was interviewed, the costs of airfare were paid. The interviews took place on an Island, so the chances of local applicants were very slim, and jobs were for all over the UK. Luckily, it was a day trip, but you could select which gateway to fly in from, but had to make your own way there.
BA doesn't pay, but then you are interviewed in London for a London based job. Stands to reason, you would most likely need to be London domiciled or capable of that to fit in, so why should they pay. In a similar vein, Cathay employs a lot of Ex-Pats, and as the pool of these are not sat in Hong Kong already, expecting them to stump up to fly there is a little unreasonable.
Now paying to have a CV accepted is taking the mickey, but I only know of one company that stoops that low.....