Cor blimey!!I don't have an issue with a simpler dive as a check out dive and understand why operators would ask this of the first dive, however to include many basic skills etc in that check out dive I believe is an insult to most divers. Its like "We know you are certified and have been diving for a number of years, however we want to do our own cert checks before we let you dive" Now if I did a check dive and demonstrated very bad buoyancy control, or perhaps poor fin style or just look a bad diver I could accept further skill checks, however to just do it because we (the operator) do doesn't cut it for me.
You would, however be surprised how many divers are so good (in their own mind), and yet demonstrate very poor ability and thus why many operator do a first dive check dive. But to do a full skill check is way overboard (in my mind) when based on "this is what we do" mentality.
Now in saying that, if perhaps its a very high risk dive with significant danger from local tides/currents etc and a number of previous divers have died/gotten in to trouble previously then I can see the justification. This however (I would suggest) would be a very rare occurrence indeed (if ever).
I don't make the rule. If the operator insist on check out dive(skill test), what are you going to do? There was no point for confrontation. So we took the easy option and complied. No one failed the "test" and we all had a great time. Of course we all laughed at that afterwards.
End of story.