Funny how BA runs a scheme to take-on low-hours pilots, trained the same way as the like of EZY/FR guys - and it gets praise. Also interesting that BAs cadet pay scale is significantly reduced compared to direct-entry pay scale - but wait, they've axed the hold pool of experienced pilots and won't open that door again for a while.
So BA, the saviour of young pilot hopefuls, at the expense of experienced professionals who've worked their lives to gain a place with the airline - but it saves them a few £££ over the years. Way to positively spin a recruitment drive aimed at reducing costs.
Actually the initial FPP remuneration package, including salary, bond repayment and flying pay is probably in the region of at least £40k a year, and rises by a good amount each year on a permanent contract. This is much more favourable than other cadet schemes out there, and eventually catches up with DEP scale.
I hardly think these guys can be compared with the demise of DEP recruitment, seeing as they aren't expected to be anywhere near line flying before very late 2013 or 2014 at the earliest and will be restricted to fleet allocation, so perhaps the DEP hold in recent times has been down to other factors?
There's a very good chance that these FPP guys and girls have also 'worked their lives to get into the airline' as well, just perhaps in a different manner than you mean.
For whoever asked about ages, I believe the average age of last years batch is about mid-late 20's, but there's a fairly large range between min and max.