And he's got a Masters in aeronautical engineering with a PPL! Makes me wonder what kind of people Airlines really want).
Of the six BA cadets on my course, three have done aerospace engineering at uni, two have PPLs, and the other has a solid amount of flying experience. All are passionate about flying and for them this is their dream come true. It sounds like your friend fits the mould nicely, so whatever the reason for him not making it was, it certainly wasn't because of his degree or PPL.
Good luck to all applying for the Aer Lingus scheme.
