<p>Recent weeks have brought difficult times in Europe for airline pilots with a number of carriers under threat or actually closing their doors. The biggest hit came on 23 September 2019 with the collapse of Thomas Cook Group and all its airline operations bar those of Condor in Germany. Immediately, thousands of pilots found themselves out of a job.</p>
<p><img alt="Thomas Cook " src="/getasset/693137d7-f941-4541-a64d-71f52207b3b9/" /></p>
<p>As they did after Monarch’s bankruptcy on 2 October 2017, the British Air Line Pilots’ Association (BALPA) and specialist airline employment agencies swung into action to help all those laid off to find new positions elsewhere.</p>
<p>BALPA’s membership team immediately stepped in to support its many Thomas Cook members. “We are providing regular updates that includes information about vacancies in other airlines, videos on CV building, information on our upcoming careers event (October) and much more,” the Association confirms.</p>
<p>“We have also been providing free interview training, as some members may have been with the airline for some time and won’t have had to interview for many years. We currently have 280 pilots booked on courses around the country with more bookings coming in all the time. Additionally, we have negotiated free and heavily discounted simulator sessions for members.</p>
<p>“Many members are keen to find new employment as soon as possible, especially given the uncertainty of whether they will be paid their September wage,” BALPA states. “Similar to the Monarch situation, there will be a handful of pilots who decide to take this as an opportunity to retire a little earlier, or some who may be trained in other professions and decide to take those up full time, but we expect most will be looking to find another pilot position as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>Not being solely focused on pilots, Brookfield Aviation has been active in other areas too. “We are helping Thomas Cook pilots and engineers collectively and individually,” remarks David George, Brookfield’s chief executive officer. “It’s only been a short time since they heard the bad news. However, we do have very many positions to offer them in UK and in all parts of the world.</p>
<p>“The response from the pilots and engineers has been generally positive,” he continues. “Some are anxious to get back to work as soon as possible – maybe with a short-term contract while looking for something permanent. Others are happy to take the opportunity of a couple of months off before looking again. This is the time of year when airlines that are failing tend to draw their terminal breath and it’s not the best time for pilots looking for new jobs, but very good for the maintenance personnel.”</p>
<p>Many industry analysts believe there a pilot shortage, which ought to help all those coming out of Thomas Cook to be able to find jobs within a reasonable amount of time. Brookfield’s George, while not convinced there is a shortage, does believe that a number of positions are waiting.</p>
<p>“Throughout the summer we have had no problem in finding substantial numbers of pilots for our contracts and now a few hundred Thomas Cook pilots will just help to further flood the pilot market in Europe at this time,” he notes. “Whether or not the pilots coming out of Thomas Cook will quickly find work will depend on their flexibility, in particular if they are willing to travel. Airlines will be interested because the standard of these pilots is generally high, English speaking and with EASA ATPLs which is all positive. Whether or not the UK market can absorb them all is questionable. However, we [are likely to] have something good to offer any of them on overseas contracts. In these cases, we would normally be offering remuneration in excess of the salaries they have been used to.”</p>
<p>BALPA has a similar take on the reactions around the industry, namely that the pilots still have some cause for optimism. “We have already seen many airlines stepping up to advertise their positions – Virgin Atlantic have promised a fast track application process for former Thomas Cook pilots, and Flybe have offered some pilots who had recently moved over to Thomas Cook the opportunity to return,” the Association reports. “We are also assisting members in finding employment outside of the UK. Although there are frequent warnings of a ‘pilot shortage’, we actually find that people at the start of their careers struggle more, given the lack of positions for recently-qualified pilots.”</p>
<p>With this in mind, any thoughts that other airlines might not want high seniority aviators because of salary expectations are swiftly rebuffed. “We do not believe this is the case. Experienced pilots are always coveted by airlines, so we expect many members will be quick to find new employment,” BALPA emphasises.</p>
<p>Beyond Thomas Cook pilots being laid off, Brookfield Aviation has also been active on behalf of other carriers which have run into deep trouble such as XL Airways, Aigle Azur and Adria Airways (which is currently in what has been declared a temporary cessation of operations). “We have had a few applications from XL Airways pilots,” David George confirms. “We have long standing friends and colleagues in Adria and I really hope they will be saved. We are of course on hand to help them if the worst comes to the worst.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately these won’t be the last airline failures of the year. I believe the industry generally will experience a correction after many years of expansion and it will naturally be the financially weaker airlines that will pay the price,” George remarks.</p>
<p><img alt="Thomas Cook " src="/getasset/693137d7-f941-4541-a64d-71f52207b3b9/" /></p>
<p>As they did after Monarch’s bankruptcy on 2 October 2017, the British Air Line Pilots’ Association (BALPA) and specialist airline employment agencies swung into action to help all those laid off to find new positions elsewhere.</p>
<p>BALPA’s membership team immediately stepped in to support its many Thomas Cook members. “We are providing regular updates that includes information about vacancies in other airlines, videos on CV building, information on our upcoming careers event (October) and much more,” the Association confirms.</p>
<p>“We have also been providing free interview training, as some members may have been with the airline for some time and won’t have had to interview for many years. We currently have 280 pilots booked on courses around the country with more bookings coming in all the time. Additionally, we have negotiated free and heavily discounted simulator sessions for members.</p>
<p>“Many members are keen to find new employment as soon as possible, especially given the uncertainty of whether they will be paid their September wage,” BALPA states. “Similar to the Monarch situation, there will be a handful of pilots who decide to take this as an opportunity to retire a little earlier, or some who may be trained in other professions and decide to take those up full time, but we expect most will be looking to find another pilot position as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>Not being solely focused on pilots, Brookfield Aviation has been active in other areas too. “We are helping Thomas Cook pilots and engineers collectively and individually,” remarks David George, Brookfield’s chief executive officer. “It’s only been a short time since they heard the bad news. However, we do have very many positions to offer them in UK and in all parts of the world.</p>
<p>“The response from the pilots and engineers has been generally positive,” he continues. “Some are anxious to get back to work as soon as possible – maybe with a short-term contract while looking for something permanent. Others are happy to take the opportunity of a couple of months off before looking again. This is the time of year when airlines that are failing tend to draw their terminal breath and it’s not the best time for pilots looking for new jobs, but very good for the maintenance personnel.”</p>
<p>Many industry analysts believe there a pilot shortage, which ought to help all those coming out of Thomas Cook to be able to find jobs within a reasonable amount of time. Brookfield’s George, while not convinced there is a shortage, does believe that a number of positions are waiting.</p>
<p>“Throughout the summer we have had no problem in finding substantial numbers of pilots for our contracts and now a few hundred Thomas Cook pilots will just help to further flood the pilot market in Europe at this time,” he notes. “Whether or not the pilots coming out of Thomas Cook will quickly find work will depend on their flexibility, in particular if they are willing to travel. Airlines will be interested because the standard of these pilots is generally high, English speaking and with EASA ATPLs which is all positive. Whether or not the UK market can absorb them all is questionable. However, we [are likely to] have something good to offer any of them on overseas contracts. In these cases, we would normally be offering remuneration in excess of the salaries they have been used to.”</p>
<p>BALPA has a similar take on the reactions around the industry, namely that the pilots still have some cause for optimism. “We have already seen many airlines stepping up to advertise their positions – Virgin Atlantic have promised a fast track application process for former Thomas Cook pilots, and Flybe have offered some pilots who had recently moved over to Thomas Cook the opportunity to return,” the Association reports. “We are also assisting members in finding employment outside of the UK. Although there are frequent warnings of a ‘pilot shortage’, we actually find that people at the start of their careers struggle more, given the lack of positions for recently-qualified pilots.”</p>
<p>With this in mind, any thoughts that other airlines might not want high seniority aviators because of salary expectations are swiftly rebuffed. “We do not believe this is the case. Experienced pilots are always coveted by airlines, so we expect many members will be quick to find new employment,” BALPA emphasises.</p>
<p>Beyond Thomas Cook pilots being laid off, Brookfield Aviation has also been active on behalf of other carriers which have run into deep trouble such as XL Airways, Aigle Azur and Adria Airways (which is currently in what has been declared a temporary cessation of operations). “We have had a few applications from XL Airways pilots,” David George confirms. “We have long standing friends and colleagues in Adria and I really hope they will be saved. We are of course on hand to help them if the worst comes to the worst.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately these won’t be the last airline failures of the year. I believe the industry generally will experience a correction after many years of expansion and it will naturally be the financially weaker airlines that will pay the price,” George remarks.</p>