Although I can't be 100% positive since nobody's asked me to sit in on any of the interviewing, this has the aroma of wild-*ss (incorrect) rumor to it.

Having previous Airbus (or Boeing time, for that matter) doesn't make any of the courses shorter and doesn't save the company any money.

In so far as having flown an Airbus/Boeing shows that you are able to fly a big airplane, the company will like that. But there are other big airplanes out there (eg Mickey D's or military transports) that show the same thing, and the company will like that also.

Thinking you've got a leg up because you know your way around a 319's cockpit is, I believe, a colossal misunderstanding of the process.

What they're really looking for is somebody who can show he or she is smart, experienced, safety-conscious, conscientious, has common sense, and wouldn't be a giant downer on layovers. Not necessarily in that order.