British Airways recruiting new pilots for highly-competitive training scheme

• British Airways has reopened applications for its fully-funded Speedbird Pilot Academy for the fourth year, committing £18 million to train up to 160 aspiring pilots.
• The scheme covers the £100,000 training cost per individual, aiming to make a career as a commercial airline pilot accessible to a wider range of applicants.
• New research reveals significant untapped interest in aviation careers, with almost a quarter of UK adults stating they would consider becoming a pilot if training was fully funded.
• Applications are open from 14 April to 23 April 2026, requiring candidates to be aged 17-58 (18 at training start) and possess specific GCSE qualifications including Maths, English, and Science.
• The programme has already seen almost 50 pilots graduate, with tens of thousands of applications expected due to its success in removing financial barriers to pilot training.