Paying or no pay/Slavery/Prostitution,etc...
Hi Mister Geezer,
I think it is a good idea that pilots should have a "black list" of airlines that ask their cockpit crews to fund their entry into the company either by:
1. paying in advance their type rating or,
2. having it deducted from their salary or,
3. imposing a sub-scale salary for an extended period of time.
Indeed, even flag carriers impose this "sub-scale" salaries for up to two or three years to recover training costs!...
In the end, no matter how the airline does it, it always comes out the newcomer's pocket. Since training is part of an airline operational cost, it should be paid by the airline and never to be paid (in any form, see above) by the pilot.
I understand, on the other hand, the airline's concern for the newly hired to come in their airline, take a free type rating and then scram to another one. Then, the airline should be allowed to recover its costs. Logical.
Therefore, a type bonding should be the only reasonable solution and should be limited to two ot three years in time, no more. And not 5 years, like we tend to see nowadays...
It is time this aviation prostitution stops. If you want to pay to fly, go buy yourself a private licence and enjoy flying! If you still want to make a career out of it, never accept to fork out the dough. Let your conscience do the right thing and boycott these unscrupulous airlines from taking your parent's, bankers or your money to do the job that make them do profits.