I'm sure nobody will argue that the 'pay for hours' schemes are dead in the uk. And we are indeed each making our own interpretation of what the OP meant by 'P2F'.
However...
Perhaps you've missed my point, or I've failed to communicate it - an
employer charging
employees over the odds for a course or equipment in order to make a profit from them is not 'retail markup'. (Unless you're one of the management team responsible for these schemes, in which case you probably would call it 'retail markup' so you can sleep better
).
supply and demand based remuneration
The aviation industry is not unique in its oversupply of qualified applicants. But it is pretty unique in the lengths it goes to exploit them.
I work across many industry sectors and can assure you these practices in Aviation are pretty unique to Aviation.
almost universal constants across all forms of industry and commerce
No, the difference in most other industries ('professions' is probably a better word) is that the priority is to get (and keep) the right people, not the cheapest people (or the people who can afford to buy their way in, which I think is more along the subject of this thread).
I do concede my point entirely about experience in the left hand seat. A very interesting first-hand account about cadets over the past 15 years Bealzebub.
But, if we assume that the OP is not referring specifically to 'pay for hours' schemes, and is referring to the increasing practice of hiring 19yr old 200hr cadets to fly jets, then your observations would seem to support his original post - i.e. everyone should stop bashing it, because the practice works.
You really do sound like management 