[2019] Motion 36 Widening access to the airline pilot profession

Withdrawn motion

Received from:

Becoming a commercial airline pilot is more difficult than ever before. This is as a result of:

i. extortionately high training costs paid upfront by the individual, over £100,000
ii. a lack of flexibility and support once in employment
iii. poor provision in areas such as maternity pay.

BALPA believes that the only thing that matters in becoming a pilot is ability, not gender or background or socio-economic status. Yet the barriers to entry mentioned above are already serious obstacles that can put the job out of reach for some, robbing the profession of a wider pool of talent. Currently, only 6 per cent of pilots are women, only 4 per cent are BME and too many have to rely on wealthy parents to fund them.

Congress therefore asks the General Council to support BALPA’s campaign to remove the causes of inequality and to call on airlines and government to do more.

British Airline Pilots’ Association