Misterman, that's bullsh*t!
Explain to me then why dozens of extremely well trained military pilots with thousands of hours and a detailed training record you could only dream of from the likes of CTC etc, are overlooked for 250hour integrated course ab initios???
It's the incestuous relationship between training school and loco carrier and the fact that ex mil aren't stupid enough to be pushed around by loco airlines for sh*t money and no T&CSs. The locos know that when you have a £100,000 debt to honour you'll take anything they offer you. I'm sorry if I offend any integrated flexicrew but the "pressure" misterman talks about, multiply that by 10 and you'll understand what ex mil pilots have all experienced. Plus they are trained officers and used to being managers.
I know an ex mil pilot, thousands of hours, both Fast Jet and ME, who even offered to pay for his own TR with CTC but was told "we only take ab initios with no experience." Now, why would that be?