Having spent a bit of time contracting, I would suggest caution if you are planning to return to airline flying.
At a recent (successful) interview, the interviewer cast a glance at my CV and commented that he hoped to have someone stay for more than 2 years. Luckily I was able to persuade him that I do indeed intend to stay for longer (the truth!) and all was well. It was clearly a mark against me though.
My time contracting was not by choice and I wouldn't choose to do that again. Others, as you have seen, have a different (and completely legitimate) view.
Bear in mind, though, that interviewers will generally be long serving members of the company and are (love it or loathe it) likely to be quite conservative in nature.
Also, and I don't mean this in any was as a generalisation, there are SOME contractors who leave an impression way beyond their statistical relevance. I've known a few and I guess most readers here have too. If you are unlucky, you are possibly going to be tarred with the same brush, especially if the company has recently had a bad experience.
Best of luck whichever route you choose to go:-)
KT