What pay does British Airways publish for its pilots?

In October 2026, British Airways publishes a starting salary of £70,347 a year for a BA Cityflyer first officer in an Aspiration to Command role. This amount is made up of basic pay and non pensionable pay, plus circa £11,700 in allowances. On successful completion of the command course, the salary increases to £110,934 plus allowances of circa £16,300, with annual incremental pay uplifts on a 15 point pay scale. The Military Pilot Pathway vacancy says successful applicants join on the Direct Entry Pilot payscale. The careers site notes that salary generally increases with experience and may include a portion of flight pay for each hour or flight worked, alongside an overnight expense allowance.1315

What did British Airways and BALPA say pilots earn in 2019?

During the 2019 pay dispute, a British Airways spokesperson said the average salary for a BA captain was £167,000 plus flying allowances, and that the 11.5% offer would take the average to £202,000. The same spokesperson said a first officer earned £90,000 on average. BALPA countered that co-pilots' salaries averaged around £70,000 and that junior co-pilots earned as little as £26,000, AFP reported in September 2019. British Airways said its offer would give captains pay and benefits of around £200,000 a year. These figures are averages quoted during the 2019 dispute.45

How have pay deals with BALPA developed?

BALPA rejected an 11.5% pay rise over three years in 2019, and pilots went on strike in September of that year, AFP reported. In December 2019, BALPA members at British Airways voted nearly 9 to 1 to accept a final agreement proposed by ACAS. In July 2020, pilots accepted a deal with temporary 20% pay cuts reducing to 8% over two years, with an estimated 270 compulsory redundancies; British Airways then employed 4300 pilots. In October 2023, Travelling for Business reported an agreement in principle on the pilot pay award for 2023 to 2027, which BALPA was still to put to a member ballot. Under it, pilots were to receive a 4% rise backdated to June 2023, followed by 1.5% in December, 2.5% the next June and a further 2% six months later. That was to be followed by a 0.5% rise in March 2025, then 2.5% that June and a final 2.5% step in June 2026, with the next pilot pay review in January 2027. Pilots narrowly rejected a proposed Pilot Career Structure in a consultative ballot, with just under 51% opposing, Reuters reported on 30 April 2026, citing Sky News. On the table was an increase of up to 4% in pay, but pension contributions and the hourly Flying Pay Supplement would have been reduced. BALPA said an existing pay deal already covers 2026. In March 2026, Bloomberg reported that British Airways had proposed a bonus that could equal 1% of basic salary, payable if pilots together cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60,000 tons compared with 2025.5678910

What else is in the package?

British Airways offers a company pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to 15%, while BA Cityflyer offers up to 12%. BA Cityflyer's Aspiration to Command vacancy lists 30 days of annual leave on completion of 7 years' service, which increases by 1 day per year to a maximum of 35 days, as well as a Loss of Licence scheme, Life Assurance and Private Health Insurance with AXA Health. British Airways offers unlimited basic and premium standby tickets on its own flights and up to 30 discounted Hotline airfares per year. Work is allocated in accordance with CAA regulations and union agreements: pilots bid for work on a seniority basis and can then swap trips. Pilots can expect to work any day of the week, including Bank Holidays and Christmas/New Year. Recent roster enhancements include more time to rest after blocks of work on short haul, reduced monthly flying targets, shorter working blocks and fewer standby periods. BA Cityflyer offers a bidding system and swap function to tailor the schedule.123

Who pays for training?

In April 2026, British Airways committed £18m to fund up to 160 places on the Speedbird Pilot Academy, covering the £100,000 cost of training over two years, and British Airways says the funding guarantees successful candidates a flying role on completion. In July 2024, the airline announced a £21 million fund for up to 200 places on the 2025 programme. The Speedbird Self-Sponsored Pathway runs with four training organisations, Skyborne, Aeros, Leading Edge Aviation and FTEJerez, and is self-funded by the trainee. British Airways says trainees who complete the programme join as a first officer on the A320 short-haul fleet at Gatwick or Heathrow. Experienced direct entry pilots at British Airways receive a company-funded conversion course or type rating that is not bonded, while the BA Cityflyer type rating has a bond attached.111121314

How quickly can you move up to captain?

The BA Cityflyer programme is designed to support a first officer on the journey to captain within 12 to 18 months, subject to vacancies and performance. At British Airways, a pilot starting on the short-haul Airbus fleet can choose to transfer to one of 4 long-haul fleets or stay and become a captain on short haul. Moves to other fleets are awarded on a seniority basis.1215

What about BA Euroflyer, BA Cityflyer and other roles?

BA Euroflyer was launched in 2022 and flies short haul from London Gatwick. In October 2021, BALPA and British Airways concluded an agreement covering revised pay and working hours for pilots on short-haul operations at Gatwick, City A.M. reported.1617