TV personality and qualified pilot, Carol Vorderman is backing our call for more women to become airline pilots.
While British Airways has more female pilots than any other UK airline, with nearly 200 flying for us, we are determined to see that number rise.
We recruit trained pilots from other airlines and the armed forces, and also run our own cadet training scheme called the British Airways Future Pilot Programme – open to anyone from 18 to 55, with no previous flying experience required.
Carol, who is planning to fly solo around-the-world next year following in the flight path of British pioneer aviator Mildred Bruce, said: “I always wanted to be a pilot. It was the reason I read Engineering at Cambridge, and ideally would have joined British Airways after graduating, but sadly their training school wasn’t open at that time.
“Thankfully with initiatives like British Airways’ Future Pilot Programme there are more opportunities for tomorrow’s potential female pilots. What a great life they have ahead of them.”
The airline’s cadet programme has proved popular with some 4,500 applications in each of its first three years. It has seen a gradual increase in the number of female applicants and successful cadets each year – but British Airways is hoping to attract even more women in order to deepen the potential talent pool of pilots.
British Airways’ First Officer Emily Lester, said: “The British Airways Future Pilot Programme has allowed me to realise my dream of becoming an airline pilot.
“After an intensive training programme I am now flying to destinations throughout Europe and would encourage anyone thinking of a career as a pilot to apply.
“It’s an ideal route into an incredibly rewarding career for both men and women.”
British Airways offers its pilots a range of options to suit all lifestyles including part-time roles, as well as long and short-haul flying on its fleet of more than 280 aircraft across 180 worldwide destinations.
