I've got halfway through my training all exams done and even paid for CPL... but have now binned it... why?? My old man did 35 years with BA and said he enjoyed the first 10-15 years and hated the last 10-15 years... he said he was bored sh8tless and he was on the old defined benefit mega bucks contracts (ex-hamble cadet).... I'll wait till I have 10-15 years left and aim for a regional turbo prop or the like.
For me it would involve chucking in a job where I can earn more in a month that most FO do in a year (yes in the city... although shortly to be the desert heat of the middle east... no tax... nice). My plan is do the day job till I'm mid-forties with a pension tucked away, have seen my kids get to a sensible age and mortgage paid off. Then with 25 years of GA flying under my belt at weekends (who knows I may even instruct in my spare time) I may have a bash at a regional turbo-prop job or biz jets... c10 years doing that before hanging up boots sounds like fun. That way I avoid money pressures, no debt, get to actually 'fly" aeroplanes for most of my life etc etc.
Oh and sat where I am sat I agree with WWW and believe with oil above $100 most airlines will be posting losses this year.... the industry looks screwed to me for at least a couple of years... what would be the point in carrying on and doing the ME/IR??
Do I wish I hadn't done the ATPL exams before I made my decision not to continue?.... hmmm not really because I love flying and it will improve my airmanship albeit hopefully in a YAK rather than an A320. Maths etc didn't stack up for me and I am in the fortunate position where I could blow £100k on it if I wanted to.... but I fully understand the desire young people have to chase the dream.... unfortunately when you pass the ripe old age of 30 I have found that reality rather than dreams have to start driving your decision making.
Some good advice on here though... I would wager that a large number of people who voted "it is great" are NOT professional pilots but actually still in training chasing the dream....
P.S. I paid for a CPL course that I am unlikely to use at a very good training school due to my relocation to the sandpit... if anyone wants to buy it at a BIG discount I can talk to the school and see if we can transfer it (that is a serious offer).