Quality of pilots employed has a lot to do with timing and the "windows of opportunity". If a well qualified and highly suitable applicant is on the job market and the major airlines aren't employing at the time, he is quite likely to take what's available rather than sit around unemployed. This may well be a low cost.
If there is a recruitment boom with few high quality applicants available at the time then sights get adjusted downwards and as long as the minimum standards are met lesser quality gets a look in.
Low cost airlines have some very good pilots in their ranks. Those who; had to go overseas for the airline job and now want to come home, previous employer went broke, had to retire at 60 and want to stay flying, only option available at the time because the majors weren't employing, they were too old, wanted a quick upgrade etc
Then again there are others.....
