Airlines that have its pilots pay to fly

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I think we should make an updated and current list of airlines whose pilots gained access to their flight deck seat by paying a large sum of money to the airline whose aircraft they fly, or to a third party that has an agreement with said airline.

I am not referring here to airlines that have corrupt employees who take personal bribes from pilot candidates before accepting them on a course, which is common in certain areas of the world, but about airlines whose official policy is to hire pilots who accept to pay a large amount of money for either their type rating, for their line training, or in some cases for both.

We should list those that do it directly with the candidate, and those that do it through a third party, whether an agency, a flight training company and disguise the practice as "training".

Airlines that re-reimburse the whole training cost to the pilots should not be included. Others that reimburse part of the cost but keep a portion, or allow to keep the school or hiring agency to keep a large sum, should be included.

Of course we must not include airlines that hired non pilots and trained them, but only airlines that do this to candidates who are already in possession of a pilots licence, and sometimes even a type rating.

Would also like to hear about airlines that used to make pilots pay to fly but have since discontinued the practice, and why, and also about airlines that did not do this in the past, but now engage in this practice.