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As seen on the BBC, following the collapse of three UK flight schools in the first half of 2023, the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) and aviation industry representatives have launched a campaign to ensure better financial protections for trainee pilots and secure a stable pilot training pipeline for the UK aviation industry.

Earlier this year, students who paid in advance for flight training were left seriously out of pocket when Tayside Aviation and FTA Global collapsed. Some trainees are owed up to £90,000, sums that are unlikely to be recovered from the liquidators.

BALPA joined with other aviation representatives and wrote to Government and will work with them and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure new protections are put in place.

BALPA continues to warn aspiring pilots against paying upfront for flight training courses, but if necessary, only doing so with credit cards to secure some protection.

Note: BALPA revised its statement on recruitment in December 2023 to reflect market positivity but continued to advise aspiring pilots to be cautious, consider all options and to check put BALPA’s website for extensive advice on becoming a pilot and the latest assessment of the jobs market.

£90k

Some trainee pilots have lost £90,000 for pre-paid flying training

BALPA’s Position

Government must introduce new financial protections for trainee pilots to ensure that flight school collapses do not result in loss of trainees’ investments.

MP Tim Loughton briefing MPs on BALPA’s postion:

Latest campaign Updates:

19th September 2023: BALPA meets with Aviation Minister to discuss the issue
13th Septmber 2023: BALPA quoted in Westminster Hall debate on Flight School Closures.

More Campaigns.

Reduced Crew Operations: #SafetyStartsWith2

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 […]

Protect trainee pilots from flight school collapses

Following the collapse of several flights schools, resulting in some students losing tens of thousands of pounds, BALPA is campaigning to protect trainee pilots from similar situations.

Fighting the Strikes Bill

Government is trying to curb the right to strike for transport workers. Under new proposals, the Secretary of State for Transport would gain sweeping powers to set minimum service levels during strikes, removing or curtailing their effect.

This is unacceptable to BALPA and the entire trade union movement.

Supporting Pilot Licensing

The new and unfair post-Brexit licencing system means UK pilot licences have been seriously degraded in value and utility. The new state of play has actively prevented UK pilots, including those made redundant due to Covid-19, from securing UK jobs.

BALPA continues to campaign for a reciprocal Flight Crew and Engineer Licence agreement between the UK and EU, which would benefit all UK airlines. This would address the imbalance following Brexit and the Government must address it urgently.

Environment and Sustainability

BALPA wants to see a thriving future for the aviation sector in the UK, one that provides jobs for our members and mobility for our population. Yet we are in the midst of a climate crisis and have a moral and legal obligation to ensure our future is a sustainable one.

Fighting Pilot Fatigue

Fatigue has for many years been a worrying issue for pilots and it continues to be a huge concern across the industry today. Pilots have told BALPA they believe fatigue is now the biggest single threat to flight safety.

Pilot Pensions

Pilots feel the current pension system – including the existing tax relief framework – works. They want stability and fear any changes could undermine the system and put people off saving for their future.

Protecting Pilot Mental Health

In the awake of the Germanwings tragedy there has been huge media interest in the topic of pilot health. It’s a topic BALPA takes seriously and is working to address. BALPA understands the need to ensure those suffering mental health issues, who are in safety critical jobs, must be identified, given support and monitored to ensure they do not pose a safety risk.