The point made about the death of the traditional progression from regional turboprop operation to jet airline operation is a key thing to understand.
Something which has been a given for decades has suddenly changed. If people are willing to pay far more than it costs to train them to work as part time FO's on contractor type terms the beancounters will never allow an experienced TP pilot to be hired for a jet job ever again. This has massive implications for career management.
As, has been pointed out, topping your career on £55k is not much return for the investment you make in training. Its mad given the responsibility, instability, aptitude and work you have to put in.
I love my job and I love flying my A319 and I love earning what I earn. But there is no way on earth that I'm letting my Son follow in his Dads footsteps. Which is melancholic.
WWW