Considering that with less than 5 years experience you are very unlikely to get a gig anywhere* else in the world, what on earth is the reason for bonding new joiners with a crippling pay out figure like that?
Having worked on Tops, I said at the time I got the transfer that had I gone into that group straight from the college I would have quit straight away (it took me 2 years to do so after 13 years elsewhere in AsA and CAA). If these poor suckers get that posting AND a $250000 bond, I really feel for them. Seriously. The 15 or so (27 man roster) of us that quit from Tops in the last 12 months are proof of that.
*Germany have been paying out the bond for 'experienced' recruits from OZ at the $70K level who are still bonded bt I expect the $250K will be another matter.