Can anybody explain to me the difference between that sort of recruiting policy and the dodgier shipowners who run their vessels under "flags of convenience" to enable them to employ "slave labour" at rates that are attractive relative to the "local" ecomomy but are really exploitation in the real world and to pay lip service only to the international safety requirements.
A recent sea and environmental disaster on our South Coast involved a fairly new ship with a crew with "accepted" qualifications but barely out of school on slave rates.
We occasionally "arrest" ships until the pitiful crew conditions are sorted or until they are paid whatever pittance owing.
What astounds me is the mentality that promotes this sort of behaviour.
For an airline that promotes the idea that they are world leaders you would imagine that they would have a queue down the street and around the corner of highly experienced and qualified crew.
That they do not have is a bit scary. They just don't get it. They have got so many things right except the very thing that will bring them undone.