Hello Lauderdale,
They contacted me over the telephone, then sent me a confirmation email.
I was originally scheduled to start 29th September. I found this out in July, then it was cancelled 2 weeks later.
Hope your friend gets that phone call very soon. Its so painful waiting. I was told I would most probably be starting early next year, so it was quite a surprise for me. It seems like they may be slotting people in as and when they can.
Do you fly with BA out of the US?