Three Lions -
Ill stand corrected if anyone can post up a company who is running a p2f scheme in the UK
The "
roll up, roll up, get y'er 500 jet hours 'ere, get 'em while they're 'ot " days might be gone. However, a broader definition of "Paying to Fly" might be :
1) If a company/training department makes a profit from hiring you.
e.g. new entrant charged 26k for training which actually cost the company 16k to provide. This is really : Type Rating 16k, Joining Fee (P2F) 10k
or,
2) Accepting grossly reduced Ts&Cs in order to undercut others to get hours.
e.g. if the market rate for a position is 30k, and someone accepts it at 15k just to get in the door in front of someone more qualified.
This is pretty much the same as saying : Salary:30k, annual P2F deduction : 15k.
So, in a broader context, it's pretty rife.
But you are spot on - it would not stand scrutiny in any other industry.
What is interesting is that the industry has realized that pretty much any monkey with money can sit in the right hand seat and push buttons. And it is therefore paying peanuts.
However, I would say this is
only possible due to the level of competence in the left hand seat.
In 15 years time it will be very interesting to see the shift when the P2F brigade
pay for their upgrades and are faced with the same challenge.