British Airways has announced that prospective pilots can, from September 19, apply for a place on a new British Airways scheme that will see the £100,000 cost of their training covered entirely by the airline.
The national flag carrier’s Speedbird Pilot Academy programme will lift the previously prohibitive cost barrier of training to become an airline pilot for up to 60 successful candidates a year – helping to level the playing field and make a flying career a realistic option for all. It is hoped that by removing the high costs associated with pilot training from the applicant, people from across all communities will be encouraged to apply. Successful recruits will also have accommodation and food costs covered during their 16-month training period, making it the only airline scheme that removes all associated costs from the individual.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, commented: “The Speedbird Pilot Academy will make the ambition of becoming a British Airways pilot a reality for people who’d previously written the option off because of the cost barrier. Our aim is to attract the very best talent out there for our future generation of pilots. Whether someone is just leaving school or embarking on a second career they never thought possible, we’re levelling the playing field by removing the initial training cost barrier to make a flying career more accessible to a wider range of people and giving everyone an equal chance. We fly to more than 200 destinations around the world on a range of aircraft types, providing pilots with an abundance of opportunities and making a career as a British Airways pilot extremely rewarding. This first-in-a-generation initiative will allow anyone to make it a reality.”
Applications for the scheme can now be submitted via the airline’s careers website. Training will begin early next year and upon completion of the course, recruits will land a full-time, salaried pilot position with the airline.
