I think it will depend on how you do in the sim and on the base training whether you observe in the right hand seat or not, maybe I'm wrong.
I can understand if airlines don't want to give the keys of a $30million dollar jet to a guy who was flying Cessna's. I would probably be the same if I had an airline.
If I have to observe for 200 hours so be it, certainly beats sitting on my ass gaining 0 hours.
We have to start somewhere, look at the positives!
Too much negativity on pprune sometimes.