GL,
Chillax.
There's a whole bunch of guys out there already flying, i.e. FIs, taxi, tugging, etc. In my book they're already flying and waiting for next door to open. Yes, it might be a free 73 rating but before grounding themselves for 18 months in the current climate and giving up their flying jobs, pay or no pay, I'm sure most will think veeeery hard.
Who says that Jet2 will be true to their word? From what I hear and read about the airline it must be a great place to be so I'm sure they most likely will. However, I'd be giving up control of my own fate and I don't like it. Fall out with a coworker and two weeks before completion of the program you're told nay, not you. Sorry, carrot springs to mind... It's happened before. The biz is throat-cutting.
As much as I myself would love to join this airline I am not prepared to ground myself for 18 months.
People like CTC grads, who I understand are drowning at the hundreds in the chilly CTC pool at this point in time, will see this as a welcome opportunity to avoid Flexiscrew. And I don't blame them.
As far as I'm concerned, Jet2 have in the past, and I'd hope are going to in the future, hire the occasional TP guy or gal. And it's my understanding with that company that depending on your level of experience you will be also given a rating with a bond. No doubt about it it won't be easy to secure one of those places, as they will be few and far between.
I myself am employed already on a pretty sweet deal I find. It's not 73 yet but a lot of fun, good pay and great experience. Our guys fly close to max flight hours every year, why would I be grounding myself for 18 months?
And lastly, don't you worry about me, I have done my fair share of several years of hard, physical labor to never forget where my place is.
To correct one figure in my previous post though: indeed rates for flight training in the UK have gone up. Having redone the math I'd claim one can complete training towards the JAR CPL for £25k though, which would allow the holder to do VFR work, i.e. aerial photography, dropping jumpers, etc.