There are not 280 cadets on the ground in NZ/UK right now. That's a number from PAJ apparently including whatever he has heard about future CPs yet to begin. CTC could cut them before they got here if they so decided. There are a lot of us in the system though, including the guys still waiting in the UK and those going through UK stages.
As for CTC's business model - if there's x number of vacancies for cadet pilots from a variety of FTOs, the placing of cadets will come down to the quality of the individual, the quality of the organisation and the relationships between client and FTO. If any FTO pushes hard and their cadets are consistently good, there's reason to think that there's a better chance of airlines being willing to consider their cadets before others. I think this is essentially the recruitment principal that Easy were applying - all their cadets were coming from the CTC route for a time, as per their site. And anyway, getting placed is still not a guarantee of a job. The airline can cut you if you're crap at anytime until you are made a full employee. So put that in your pipe and smoke it. Yeah.
Numbers quoted to us by CTC about cadet pilot demand from certain airlines suggested, four months ago, that the airlines had greater forecast demand than CTC could meet. Obviously, that was then, this is now. But also, cadet pilots are one of the cheaper blokes to put in the right-hand seat and everyone needs some new blood.
I think we're all expecting to be swimming in the pool for a while from this point on. Meanwhile, CTC seem to be trying to break new markets for recruits and potential airline clients. Have License and debt, will travel! Have License and debt and girlfriend and life, probably will not travel!