GB, I know a similar story only this guy went EK to JQ on the 330. During the interview he asked what he would be paid. They told him, he laughed. They asked him what he was expecting. He told them nearly double what they were offering. Interview ended. Coupla weeks later they called offering what he had said. Went work for them, didn't like it after trip #2. Left and went back to EK.
It sounds like he didn't do the right thing by them but it wasn't that way at all. Ground staff in Melbourne treated him like a third class citizen after a sim session ran 5 hours late and caused him to miss his flight back to Syd. They wanted him to pay $150 to get the next flight. His contract said that during the three month probationary period either party to could part ways on 1 weeks notice. Rang Chief Pilot who was very nice about the whole thing and 1 week later he was gone.
Apparently these type of stories are not nearly as isolated as you would think.