BALPA has welcomed the ground breaking changes announced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) today, which will mean pilots with HIV will no longer have to needlessly and prematurely end their  career.

We believe pilots should never be barred on administrative or bureaucratic grounds as the only thing that matters in becoming a pilot is ability to fly.

Any pilots living with HIV should now feel confident to declare their status when applying for an aeromedical certificate.

BALPA head of Flight Safety, Joji Waites said:

“BALPA welcomes the changes which will see outdated rules scrapped, will reduce the stigma around HIV and enable those pilots living with HIV to get on with their job.
“We urge our members to feel empowered to report their HIV status to the CAA within the next six months in total confidence. We believe this rule change will help ensure the only thing that matters for assessing pilots is their ability to fly.”