BALPA website
BA MOVE IN RIGHT DIRECTION ON PILOT RECRUITMENT
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) is pleased that British Airways is not only recruiting new pilots in order to expand its operations, but also ensuring that it is allowing the best pilots, not just those with the most money, to fly for them.
BA is launching a training scheme for new pilots which will help a lot of aspiring pilots fulfil their dreams of flying who might otherwise be put off due to the upfront costs involved.
We are pleased that the industry is slowly awakening to the challenge of finding new pilot recruits to take aviation forward into the future. For instance, at Flybe, BALPA has secured a freeze on repayment of loans and a joint commitment to look at how new recruits are supported and at easyJet a commitment to look at the terms and conditions of their trainees.
We believe that the pool of pilots should be made up from the most able and talented, not from those who can afford these huge fees. Restricting access to flying to only the most affluent is wrong and hampers social mobility.
That is why we are heartened that the industry is waking up to this issue and that BA and others are starting to take a different approach to what we have seen in some previous recruitment rounds. These are, if not best practice, then a lot fairer than some alternatives being offered around the industry.
For more details please visit the BALPA Careers Services website area
Great.
BALPA wakes up after a 10-15 year slumber and finally comments on a trend in the industry that makes so called 'equal opportunities' employers look like an ex New Labour prime minister who had a nasty habit of lying.
It is and always has been all about selecting pilots who had the fattest wallet. Perhaps now we are seeing the end of this?
Good to see and keep it up BALPA!!