Otto
You make an interesting point. And not having anything to do for 15 minutes here's my thoughts - it comes with a major BS warning !!
I initially thought it was an insurance thing .... ie the insurance company gives BA a preferred rate based on prescribed experience levels. But I've flown with many skippers who went direct onto 'the classic' strait out of the RAF (fast jet) and also some from ATRs at CityFlyer.
Now of course the tornado is a jet but given the total lack of handling similarities with it and a heavy pax jet it's hard to see how these guys were deemed any more proficient than say a current Dash8 pilot (for example) - yet sure enough there are dozens or Harrier and Tornado guys who back in the mid 90s lef the service and went straight onto the 747-2. The Cityflyer turboprop guys and gals are a rarer breed but it did happen and hence it proves its sure as hell not insurmountable. In fact IMHO having flown private, regional, short, medium and LH - the turboprop regional was by far the most challenging aircraft to fly and I venture to say I would have taken to longhaul (380) like a duck to water.
Now in both cases above (RAF & Cityflyer et al) circuit training in some very heavy tin was done and thats currently not part of the BA training dept zeitgeist.
Any thoughts (very succinctly) on what Virgin will do with their cadet cruise-pilots. X years down the line they're gonna be ready for the 'upgrade' and either have to do circuits or be farmed out for a year or two a bit like Thomas Cook did to Flybe.
Blue skies to all
CB