The original question was relating to EZ with a LGW base, so what's on offer else where in Europe does not matter. I could be wrong but In the UK all FOs will enter the company as SOs if they are lucky. If there is someone who has been given direct entry SFO with a UK base please come forward and say. Trouble is in the UK EZ have a good thing going with CTC and Oxford, hundreds of cash rich wannabes happy to throw money at making their dream happen, the role of FO is almost obsolete, it's a cash cow that has the added benifit of making flights legal!