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.

This is appalling. If you have a signed job offer you have legal protections - at the minimum you're entitled to the pay for the three month notice period (+ the accrued holiday pay).

I hope there are legal options available for breach of contract for those of you in such an awful position.

I certainly hope so; or BALPA take a strong position on it.

Terrible news for those involved, not a nice thing to have to tackle with your soon to be employer

I'm in the same boat, May 11th course 'postponed'. Cheeky bugger who called me said he 'hoped it would be months rather than years' before I get a course.

Problem I can see with BALPA/those involved kicking up a fuss is them cancelling the courses indefinitely as punishment, I really wouldn't put it past them to make an example of those to seek legal action based on their recently cold heartedness.

This corona virus is serious. As soon as I heard you could be infectious before presenting symptoms, I knew it was a serious problem and I couldn’t see the world treating it seriously enough. I still do not think it is being treated seriously enough, even with clear examples of heath services being crippled by the demand. A coordinated global effort is required to nip it in the bud, but the worlds leaders are hoping they can avoid economic damage by getting lucky with pussyfooting around.

That being said, whilst I am pleased the company are recognising the seriousness of this outbreak, I am both saddened and surprised that they are choosing to display their true colours to all future pilot applicants by cancelling signed contracts.

Good luck to you all.

I don't think there are any - until you start, you don't have a contract in force, therefore there is no breach!

Quote from my friend who is a BALPA rep:

"It stinks. It’s also unexpected. They’ve always honoured signed contracts even after 9/11 and in 2008"

Cheers union, makes all those union subs worth it.

What's the point in signing it before day one then?

Rams home the point I made earlier about our management. God knows what they’re dreaming up now by way of salary reductions/redundancies. Sincere apologies and commiserations to those who are affected by all this. If anything it’s a heads up and eye opener as to the true nature of the company you would have been joining. Fingers crossed you can get things sorted out ASAP. I get the feeling all of us are going to need good luck over the next few months.

Existing case law disagrees with you.