I recently attended a OEM approved course with FlightSafety International in Paris. The cost of this course was £5,230 for 4 days (not including airfares, hotels, food etc)
Based on price, was I ripped off? No, I don't think so.
I look at the bigger picture including the investment they had made in the facility and their instructors, the fact I can call on them when I need to for additional help. The knowledge that they have direct access to the OEM, so if they do not know the answer, they can get it, or they can get me access to the correct people at the OEM. One of the other attendees had also done the same course with an alternative supplier and was amazed at the amount of IMPORTANT (his words) training which he had not previosly covered.
All OEM's have a high price if you want to work with them and this price just cannot be absorbed and not passed on down the line. And yes, there are many lower cost options for training, as there is in anything in life.
Judge the training by the end result. Did it meets your objectives and do you feel you benefitted by attending it?
Heliport. Thank you for your comments. If you wish to pm me, I will happily let you know who I am.