the highest chance of getting me to the airlines quickest?
What's the rush??
When I finished my CPL, I had my MECIR and no ATPL's. Now, here I am, 3,000hrs on, with more than enough experience to hold an ATPL, and no ATPL subjects,
. Ohhhh to have my time over. I would have done them straight up!
With things being slow at the moment job wise, I would probably suggest doing the ATPL's now, and worrying about the MECIR later when you're getting close to needing it. Things aren't flying by so quickly at the moment, so the chance of you needing that MECIR within the first 12 months of employment, are pretty slim.
Cheers
morno