British Airways will cover the training costs of up to 60 pilots a year through a new programme aimed at making the profession more accessible.
With training costing up to £100,000, many would-be pilots cannot afford to pursue the career.
But successful candidates for British Airways’ new Speedbird Pilot Academy will have the financial barrier removed, with a paid-for place offered at an approved flight training school followed by a position as a British Airways pilot.
More: British Airways launches route to Turkish airport
British Airways chairman and chief executive Sean Doyle said: “Whether someone is just leaving school or embarking on a second career they never thought possible, we’re levelling the playing field by removing the initial training cost barrier to make a flying career more accessible to a wider range of people and giving everyone an equal chance.”
The multimillion-pound initiative, open to people aged 18-55, aims to make sure British Airways has enough pilots in the coming years.
The airline said it will seek applications from people from all backgrounds, adding that it is committed to further increasing diversity in the aviation industry.
Doyle said: “The Speedbird Pilot Academy will make the ambition of becoming a British Airways pilot a reality for people who had previously written the option off because of the cost barrier.
“Our aim is to attract the very best talent out there for our future generation of pilots.”
He added: “We fly to more than 200 destinations around the world on a range of aircraft types, providing pilots with an abundance of opportunities and making a career as a British Airways pilot extremely rewarding. This first-in-a-generation initiative will allow anyone to make it a reality.”
Hannah Vaughan, British Airways senior first officer and former cadet, said: “This is a great career for anyone. You’ll naturally need a love for flying and travel, but being a British Airways pilot offers so much more.
“From working with an incredibly dedicated team and meeting customers from around the world to benefitting from world-class training facilities, I would absolutely recommend it as a career path.”
British Airways also continues to recruit current commercial pilots and it is working with the UK Armed Forces to give military pilots opportunities in commercial aviation once their agreed service period has ended.