Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate the honesty - positive or negative.
It doesn't help when, as a possible newbie, you hear of guys leaving to go home and fly ATR's or go back to Ryanair (I don't work for a LCC and have already done scheduled LH). As somebody highlighted, the majority bail after 6-8 years. I can pay down most of my mortgage back home in that time, see places I would not otherwise have seen, etc. etc. which is great, but then what?
Most will have at least 8-10 years jet time when joining. Another 10 in the ME RHS just seems too long with the prospect of a command back home within a year or two. Some say take your first command regardless of airline or aircraft, others say (where seniority rules) get into your airline of choice. However it might not be everyday a major carrier calls up to offer a job which makes it even harder.
spending the best part of the last 18 months looking at what my friends back in charter and Lo cost have in terms of quality of life, money, pension schemes, promotion opportunities...they are just some of the reasons I'm leaving XX.
I guess as it goes, if in doubt, change nothing.
