Although I didn't take this route myself, I know many who did and it worked well for most of them.
Being ground ops, whether it's something like dispatcher or baggage handler really gets you used to the type of turn around time, and the tasks that actually need to be completed, something which frankly was alien to me when I first started on the line. Same would go for cabin crew.
If you were working in an ops or rostering role, you would gain some great knowledge of the commercial pressure airlines are under, and I'm sure would be able to network very effectively.
I also know a few cabin crew who have CPL/IR and are waiting for their break with an interview.
I worked up from an instructor, so I had better manual flying skills and currency, but when I first started at an airline I completely lacked a lot of practical day to day knowledge regarding ground tasks.
Last edited by RTN11; 8th Oct 2012 at 11:31.