I am 29 now and fortunatley have my own business to return to if things dont improve over the next 18 months. I have 3 friends who all fly for major airlines. 1 at BA and they are taking students from OAA and CABAIR. 1 at FLYBE he has been taken of the embrea 145 and is doing his type rating on the dash8, they are currently training 20 new pilots a month and losing 25 to other airlines so they are playing catch up. The other at Ryanair and if you want to pay for a type rating there is a good chance you will get a job with them. Of course you have to have something about yourself for any of the above to count. I am going on the course and will enjoy every minute of it.