Airlines

British Airways’ Speedbird Pilot Academy opens for new applications

On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, the airline will start the application window for its fully financed Speedbird Pilot Academy cadet programme, which will run for second year.

This comes after an extraordinary response to its first year intake, where more than 20,000 applications were received for just 100 places. Aiming to level the playing field and remove the previously prohibitive cost barrier of individuals having to pay for their own training, the Speedbird Pilot Academy initiative is part of the airline’s £7 billion investment across the business.

Simon Cheadle, Director of Flight Operations at British Airways, stated: “We’re quite proud to be able to give more people access to a career in aviation through this programme.”

“We are glad to provide this opportunity to many talented individuals who simply need a little assistance to fulfil their dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot. We know this from the tremendous response and high calibre of applications we had in the first year of Speedbird Pilot Academy.

“Our investment in this programme will help to ensure our future generation of pilots for years to come. We want to continue attracting the best flying talent.” Candidates will be able to apply for up to 100 places on the programme – that will see the approximate £100,000 cost of their training covered entirely by the airline – through the British Airways careers site from April 16, 2024.

Airlines

Federal Court Imposes $100M Fine on Qantas for “Ghost Flights” Scandal

In a major ruling, the Federal Court has confirmed a hefty A$100 million penalty against Qantas for its involvement in the “ghost flights” scandal. As reported by FlightGlobal.

The court found that Qantas misled consumers by offering and selling tickets for flights that the airline had already decided to cancel. Adding to the controversy, Qantas failed to promptly notify ticket holders about these cancellations.

The penalty follows Qantas’ admission of violating the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The airline agreed with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the penalty amount, aiming to deter Qantas and other businesses from similar breaches in the future.

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The ACCC emphasized that this substantial fine sends a clear message: misleading customers will lead to serious consequences, regardless of a company’s size. In addition to the penalty, Qantas has committed to paying approximately A$20 million to affected passengers who unknowingly purchased tickets for canceled flights.

This compensation comes on top of any refunds or alternative flight arrangements already provided. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb praised the penalty, underscoring the importance of robust compliance programs red energy qantas in large corporations like Qantas.

She pointed out that Qantas has since made changes to its operating and scheduling procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.