High MPL Cost
If i remember correctly in the last APATS 2008 the notion that MPL is a) a cost saver and b) a short cut have been blown away. As a couple of beta tests around the world (and some still in the planning/ budgetting phases) have shown (including the favorite whipping boy of MPL haters around the world, Clark Aviation) the MPL requirements actually could mean training time is comparable to the normal fATPL + Type Rating course, while the cost could actually be higher due to the cost of doing sim training (more hours compared to normal Type Rating) plus the TAGS on the actual aircraft. Time-wise, if any savings will be generated at all it will only amount to a couple of weeks/months, but definitely not years. In terms of money, it is actually going to cost more so Silver5 you are totally inaccurate in your assumption.
So it begs the question: Why would the airlines want to invest in an MPL rather than the conventional route? Because in theory, and I admit this is a potentially explosive idea in this forum, the MPL is supposed to produce First Officers who are better trained in cooperating in a Multi Crew environment managing the systems of a sophisticated aircraft but who is expected to assert to the Captain if something is going wrong. In other words, when MPL was first conceived, it was supposed to address Safety issues especially concerning TEM and MCC/ CRM. Admittedly i may be guilty of oversimplifying the Training issues concerned but my point is that if the MPL is turning out to be a workable alternative to the fATPL, then it can only be good for the industry first in terms of safety, then later on in terms of money and time.