BA Cityflyer Direct Entry Captain

Elevate Your Career: A Deep Dive into the BA Cityflyer Captain Opportunity

BA Cityflyer is actively seeking experienced Captains to join their team during a pivotal time as they embark on a mission to ‘Build a Better Cityflyer’. This role offers a unique blend of challenging operations, a customer-centric focus, and exceptional career benefits, making it an compelling opportunity for discerning aviation professionals.

Advantages of This Opportunity:

• A Unique and Dynamic Flying Environment: As a BA Cityflyer Captain, you'll operate the Embraer 190 into London City Airport – one of the world's most challenging yet rewarding operating environments. This involves flying a diverse roster of business, charter, and leisure flights, including day trips, night stops, and tours, ensuring a varied and engaging flying experience. You'll be serving a high-value and sophisticated customer base, bringing them into the heart of London.
• Customer-Centric Culture with a Modern Edge: BA Cityflyer prides itself on providing the very best flight experience. If you are passionate about delivering industry-defining standards of customer service and embody qualities like creativity, diversity, style, wit, and warmth, you'll find a strong cultural fit here. The airline is actively shaping its future, offering a chance to be part of its next exciting chapter.
• Significant Career Development Potential: Beyond the immediate role, the description explicitly states there may be opportunities to "develop your career within BA Cityflyer." This suggests a commitment to internal progression and growth for high-calibre pilots.
• Exceptional Compensation and Benefits Package: The comprehensive benefits package is a major highlight, demonstrating BA Cityflyer's investment in its employees:
  • Permanent Contract: Stability and long-term commitment.
  • Company-Funded Type Rating/Conversion: A substantial investment in your professional development (with bond).
  • Robust Financial Security: Includes a generous company pension scheme (up to 12% employer contribution), Loss of Licence scheme, Life Assurance, and private medical scheme.
  • Generous Leave and Perks: Starting with 30 days annual leave (increasing to 35), paid medical and licence renewals, and extensive British Airways worldwide staff travel benefits. This includes up to 30 discounted ‘Hotline’ airfares annually for you, friends, and family, plus discounts at various car hires, hotels, and retail stores.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: The airline emphasizes its commitment to sustainable employment, equal opportunities, and valuing diversity, indicating a progressive and inclusive workplace.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• High Professional Standards Required: Operating into London City Airport demands the highest professional standards due to its challenging nature and sophisticated customer base. Candidates must be prepared for a demanding yet exciting environment where precision and excellence are paramount.
• Flexibility and Teamwork are Essential: The role requires working flexibly within a tight-knit team to manage a dynamic seven-day-a-week operation. This means being adaptable to varied rosters and collaborating effectively with colleagues.
• Rigorous Experience and Qualification Criteria: The minimum requirements are specific and considerable, including a current UK CAA Part-FCL ATPL (A) (or convertibility), a minimum of 4000 total hours, and crucially, 1500 hours as PIC of a commercial jet/turbo prop multi-crew aircraft with an MTOW of 20,000kg or greater (excluding PICUS hours). An E-Jet type rating and current Captain experience are desirable but not essential, indicating a potential opening for highly experienced First Officers ready for command.
• Structured Application Process: Be aware of the reapplication policies. If unsuccessful at initial screening, video interview, capacity testing, or assessment centre, there's a 6-month wait period. For the SIM stage, it's 12 months. Additionally, you may only apply to one airline within the British Airways family (British Airways, Euroflyer, or Cityflyer) at a time.
• Customer-First Mindset: While an advantage, the strong emphasis on customer service means candidates must genuinely embody this value, as it's integral to the role's success.

Guiding Your Career Path:

This Captain role with BA Cityflyer is an outstanding opportunity for experienced pilots who thrive in challenging environments and are committed to delivering exceptional customer service. If you possess the required technical expertise, a strong sense of professionalism, and a desire to contribute to a forward-looking airline, this position offers significant rewards.

It's particularly suited for Captains seeking to operate out of a premium, central London airport, or highly experienced First Officers who meet the stringent PIC hour requirements and are ready to step into command within a respected airline group. The generous benefits and clear path for career development within BA Cityflyer make it a compelling long-term career move. Ensure your qualifications rigorously align with the specified criteria and be prepared for a thorough assessment process.