I have a start date in May. Contract signed and notice given. I rang recruitment line this afternoon who advised me that my start date will still go ahead. I do have a mate who has been told he was successful through sim and placed in hold pool but there will be no more start dates given for the foreseeable.
I fully understand my response from recruitment today is only valid for as long as it’s not.

If there is a freeze it’s a bizarre way of going about it. Roles continue to be advertised on the external website (including a new role advertised today for DEC at CityFlyer) and assessments for DEP going ahead tomorrow as planned!

What does CityFlyer recruitment have to do with proving or disproving a freeze on BA recruitment though?

As far as I am aware, BA have never failed to honour a signed employment contract, so I wouldn’t be at all worried if I had given my notice to a previous employer after signing a contract with BA.

I wasn’t trying to prove or disprove anything, just adding my tuppence’ worth to the discussion on a rumours forum. The facts are BA are still advertising externally for a number of roles, and assessments (for DEP at least) continue to run. Of course that could change in 24 hours...

what’s the old disclaimer, past performance is no guarantee of future performance? There’s nothing remotely honourable about our current management. At any level. The simple fact is though that we’re undercrewed, there’s no doubt about that. It remains to be seen how much the flying schedule changes will affect that. You’d certainly hope/expect that the guys given start dates are fairly safe and that most of the internal courses will go ahead as planned. As far as I’m aware the new aircraft are still coming this year, even if the 787-10 is being continually pushed back (that was the case pre Coronavirus).

From what I’ve heard all current offers remain,
no change there. If you have an offer you are safe. Future opportunities have to be signed off via CEO/CFO.

This rings true from what I’ve seen

Reuters report a snip interview with WW regarding aircraft orders. They remain firm on all orders and see the coronavirus as a temporary issue, and won't do anything to jeopardize the long term business direction. I would presume this would include making sure the crews are ready as planned.

Tell that to all the cabin crew that signed "world class" contracts for start dates this year, only to be told a month before starting that they would be on mixed fleet contracts instead (on a much lower basic pay). BA certainly have form in not honouring signed employment contracts.

The only time I’ve heard of airlines pulling job offers in the last few years, is before a contract is signed and from people practically in hold pools. I know a few cadets who had offers from RYR withdrawn last year due to their “restructuring” late summer. However, this was shortly after the assessment outcome, and as far as I know it was a pre-offer with a “rough” start date and no contract at that time. Given the typical “we’ll keep you on file, and let you know when we start running courses again” lip service. A regional airline did the same with cadets when they hit a bit of rough air, except they were told to PFO.

I’m very confident those with signed contracts and start dates have nothing to worry about whatsoever. And I think the odds of those in the pool are just as well. It will just be a few anxious months of waiting for BA to pull their finger out and get back on track after this fiasco.

I’m still waiting for the sim, so can’t see that happening until the Summer. No response from recruitment.

Got to stay positive. Just not tested positive for Coronavirus.

The company have just sent out an email saying there is now a blanket ban on all external recruitment with immediate effect. Temporary part time and voluntary unpaid leave are also being offered. Fingers crossed none of this lasts too long. As I said above, on the A320 we seem to be chronically under crewed at the moment.

Is it true now that all future assessments have been cancelled?

All future assessment dates have been removed, but candidates are frozen at their current stage and will be able to continue through the process from where they left off when recruitment reopens.

Thanks for clarifying; I guess we’re fully crewed for the time being then 🤔

Well we were all wrong... just had an phone call from someone in flight ops to tell me theyve retracted my offer of employment and stuck me at the top of the hold pool until further notice.

Coming classes cancelled and everyone back in the hold pool is what i'm hearing!

Everyone affected is too busy trying to stop their lives falling apart to post here. Correct me if i'm wrong.

Best of luck to those caught up in this heinous act of cruelty.

An absolute disgrace if this is true.

Afraid so. 3 weeks to go on my notice from current job and back in the pool. Just had a call from flt ops.

I can confirm this... Got the call that my course has been cancelled.. 4 weeks to go with current employer. Tried to cancel my resignation and base manager has been told not to take back any pilots who have had courses cancelled by BA

Yup just had the call as well, same time frame, 3 weeks until start date. Unlikely that my current employer will keep me on any longer than my notice period. Pretty gutted.