Today, I am told, the worst place to be in Ryanair is within the 500 - 2000 hours on type experience bracket. You are absolutely no use to them whatsoever. Unless you are a fresh out of the wrapper cadet which costs them next to nothing, a SFO with >2500hrs voicing a willingness to upgrade, a current skipper or a potential DEC then welcome to wilderness alley. Life isn't fair, but who told you otherwise? Was it Brookfield with their 800 hrs a year/4 years to command/life in the sunshine on a 5/4 bullsh1t?
How true now just substitute Ryanair with easyJet in the above quote and you have the same state of affairs. Its no shock that these two companies are the better placed financially in Europe.
The orange machine is already offering unpaid leave over winter. So what hope do the cadets and flexicrew have. See you next summer if you are retained.