Its great to see various posts and I surely am not blaming anyone for being disenchanted or jaded but there is truth in what Stains expressed whole heartedly. I dont think he has lowered himself, maybe a bit disenchanted and Im sorry to see that.
We are all creatures of circumstances and though some may have a chip on both shoulders, what he has expressed is indeed true to some matter, sad to say.
Chock to chock, you dont need to have to work for this airline to know the runnings of their hiring and operating culture attested by the experiences of many including myself here.
So , yes, I will reiterate like many here, its " who knows you, not who you know " amongst many other prerequisites to get in this sorority.