Scroggs, i beg to differ :
>No UK airline could or would accept someone working for no >reward. Firstly, it's not legal, and secondly no pay = no loyalty, >and little accountability. The most important thing to most, if not >all, airlines is safety. They are unlikely to trust their reputation >to someone with so little self-respect that they'd work for free.
>I would never offer a job to anyone I knew had gone down this >route.
thats exactly what Ryanair and Virgin are doing : paying upfront in cash for your type rating. Type cost is almost one year salary. Even senior jet pilots qualified on other types have to pay for conversion !