British Airways Set to Recruit More Female Pilots

BA pilots Cliodhna and Aoife Duggan2 (C) Nick Morrish, BA.jpg

British Airways’ cadet training programme is in its third successful year and with just a week to go until applications close, the airline is appealing for more female applicants.

The airline’s ‘Future Pilot Programme’, an 18-month pilot training course, has proved extremely popular and has attracted around 5,000 applicants for less than one hundred places in its first two years. The programme helps applicants to gain a place at an approved flight training school, with successful candidates landing a job as a British Airways pilot.

British Airways’ director of flight operations, Captain Stephen Riley, said: “This is an exciting period for our Future Pilot Programme initiative. We are taking applications for the third year running and I’m proud to say our first ever cadets are also in the final stages of their course.”

Competition is stiff, but for those who are successful, they will ultimately join the airline’s team of over 3,600 pilots in a rewarding and exhilarating career. Sisters Aoife Duggan (27) and Cliodhna Duggan (35) from Dublin, are both British Airways pilots. Aoife said: “It was my sister that inspired me to go into the industry, buying me flying lessons for my 18th birthday and I’ve never looked back. I encourage anyone with an interest in flying to go for it and apply.”

Applications can be made through ba.com/careers – open until 26 November.