I have been following this thread for sometime, and could hazard a guess that there is a very small percentage chance in gaining a job with alpha afterwards and then being stuck with a useless MPL licence. I think if you are in the UAE, then Horizon International flight academy at AL AIN would be a far better choice for your fixed wing training, at least at the end you will have a stand alone licence frozen ATPL, that will allow you to be employable in the gulf region. Unfortunatley in the Gulf and Asia pacific region, you have and have had many different Companies promising you the world, with strange sponsorships and contracts which are not worth the paper they are written on, the reason these companies are in the gulf and asia pacific region is because this is where the money is, and wealthy familys can afford to buy their son or daughter a career and these dubious companies are all to willing to sell a dream.
Being a pilot is hard work and a long road to maintain your comitment and discipline. If a company offers you a cadet sponsorship then this is what it means, you pay nothing... they pay you a cadet salary throughout your training, if you pass and become online first officer then for the next few years you will have a reduced salary to pay off the training bond. It seems that some Airlines are saying this word "sponsorship" and then asking the cadet for money to start training
With the guys in the gulf have you tried to go to the U.S as the training is a alot cheaper and you will be able to walk away with a FAA atpl, south africa and even spain are all alot cheaper and will provide you with a worthwhile stand alone Licence that will get you into any country for your first job.
Here's a question, as I am not a fixed wing pilot, if you gain a MPL licence with ALpha get online at air arabia..... then air arabia as a company stops operating what will happen to you, with your shiny MPL licence..... 99% of companies will not accept this licence.
All the best
Fluffy5