Lovejoy,
However, Thomson cast a handful (maybe 20) of their cadets back to the sea at the end of their training in 06/07. These cadets had committed to the program, backed it with their own cash, and saw it to completion. Even now, not a look in unless they found themselves on a 737 in the mean time. Shame.
They did the same to me in 1991, although they did honour their promise of a job 5 years later in 1996!
In a world where the scheduled carriers have been expanding relentlessly, eg FR/EZY/EK et al, whereas the charters have just been "consolidating", ie shrinking and merging, is surely that they will soon be benchmarking Ts and Cs with the competition in order to survive. So how long will Thomson remain at the top of the list of preferred employers?
Over Dover Over's post above matches exactly my concerns for the future of Tour Operator's in-house airlines, although the Thomson/Britannia CC have a long history of saving the airline from idiotic commercial management.