BALPA held a global event for World Pilots’ Day, on April 26th. With international attendees, and a very British theme, the successful event was held in support of Safety Starts with 2, the campaign opposing Reduced Crew Operations.

Being part of BALPA means every single member is part of not only a UK wide pilot community, but though our unique links with the European Cockpit Association and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations, a global community too.  

So, for World Pilots’ Day BALPA wanted to celebrate that, with a quintessentially British event.  

What was ‘Tea for two’?

Our General Secretary Amy Leversidge, and Executive President Captain Paul Copland, hosted a Tea for Two event which brought pilots from around the world together for a quintessentially British tea party and a chance to highlight an issue that is increasingly become a challenge for the pilot profession and global aviation safety – Reduced Crew Operations.  

On the 26th of April, pilots from around the world gathered at BALPA House to mark World Pilots’ Day. With attendees from the UK, The United States of America, and Asia, we shared experiences and exchanged information about the issues that are important to pilots around the world. It was remarkable that speaking to pilots from Sri Lanka and America, the challenges that pilots face are similar – no matter where they are based.  

Safety Starts with 2

Some were aware of the threat of Reduced Crew Operations and the global Safety Starts with 2 campaign. For others it was a new issue that they were eager to learn about.  Overall, the day was a celebration of the piloting profession, a chance to highlight BALPA’s place at the heart of the global piloting community and to solidify our message that ‘Safety Starts with 2′. 

BALPA pilots believe the safety of every airline flight always starts with at least two well trained, qualified and rested pilots on the flight deck.

Removing pilots from the flight deck is a gamble with safety.

That is why BALPA is joining pilots from around the globe to engage in a worldwide campaign that states #SafetyStartsWith2. The aim is to ensure the current standards that have helped make aviation the safest form of transportation are not eroded by a commercially driven move towards reduced crew operations (RCO).

Thank you!

We’d like to say a big “thank you!” to all who attended, and to those who could not, we wish you a happy belated World Pilots’ Day.  

The event was a celebration, and a reminder that BALPA is here to support UK pilots and be a voice for pilots on a local, national, and international stage.

FURTHER READING:

SAFETY STARTS WITH 2: Campaign Page

BALPA BLOG: Understanding what goes well to deliver flight safety

BALPA BLOG: Challenging the ‘Plane Driver’ myth