AVIATOR1982 - spot on.
All that counts now is a type-rating and a couple of hundred hours total time. We can basically get our supply of pilots for the summer from this source.
I know people who have been offered a certain number of days per month flying for easyJet over the winter on this basis.
Am I the only one who thinks this sounds very unsafe? Inexperienced FOs flying for a few days per month over the winter. Temporary, low-houred pilots over the summer. Ezy may some things going for it, contract pilots certainly ain't one of them.