AdM
You say: "I would have to say that the airline industry is not the same as other FTSE 100 companies and that effectively every 6 months you have a 'title defence' in the simulator anyway."
It doesn't matter a jot that the airline industry isn't the same as other industries.
What SHOULD count is that the company realise they are in the BIG leagues of business now and that they should not plead poverty all the time!!!
A 6 month probationary period would be more than ample to sort the wheat from the chaff.
Other businesses face cost and margin pressures. They don't always use the staff to bolster their profits. Some businesses are even clever enough to improve their product (easyJet haven't changed hugely in my opinion) and some even get away with increasing margins by charging the clients more.
Heaven forbid....