Join Balpa

The Voice of UK Pilots: Safety, Strength, Unity.

BALPA is the voice of pilots across the UK, providing you support, guidance and a community

More than 85% of UK Pilots On Board.

We’re here to help & advise at every stage of your career Discover our memberships

Improving Industry Standards.

From Brexit’s impact on aviation, to flight safety and sustainability, we campaign on behalf of all UK pilots Explore our campaigns

BECOMING A PILOT THE INSIDE TRACK

BALPA stands as the primary representation for UK pilots. Explore our comprehensive and dedicated guide on the path to becoming a pilot. Find out more about becoming a pilot
About BALPA

The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) is the professional association and registered trade union established to represent the interests of all UK pilots.

We represent over 10,000 pilots and are recognised in 20 different companies; that’s over 85% of all commercial pilots flying in the UK. The association holds the largest collective resource of commercial pilot qualification and experience in the UK.

85%
Of Commercial uk pilots are balpa Members
20
Recognised in 20 companies
50 million +
Our members have flown more than 50 million hours
Learn more about us
What we do

As the voice of pilots, BALPA actively campaigns to achieve and maintain the best possible working conditions and safety standards for all UK pilots.

We are run by pilots for pilots and have expert staff and resources on hand to provide legal advice and representation, industrial support, to scrutinise and highlight flight safety, provide advice on employment issues and offer personal support.

By joining BALPA you’re joining the UK’s biggest and most active community of fellow pilots, that uses its well established links to ensure your voice is heard by MPs, airlines and regulators.

Our Campaigns

Why Join as a Member?

  • Legal representation
  • Industrial support: have a say on pay and benefits
  • Career management advice and bespoke resources
  • Access to BALPA website, portal and apps
  • Access to BALPA publications including newsletters and The Log magazine

Latest News & Views.

News

Zohra Francis speech to ADC 2026 – our shared future

09 Nov 2026

Acting General Secretary Zohra Francis’ speech to Annual Delegates Conference – Our Shared Future I was honoured to open the 2026 Annual Delegate Conference. My thanks go out to everyone who took time out of busy schedules to attend and to our President and the wider leadership team who have provided valuable input into shaping […]

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News

BALPA welcomes new Executive President, Captain Mark Karim

09 Nov 2026

At our 2026 Annual Delegates Conference, BALPA elected our new Executive President, Captain Mark Karim. Mark is a Boeing 787 Captain with TUI, having started his airline career flying the Boeing 757 with Britannia Airways in 2003. He has been a member of BALPA since 2002. Over the course of his career, he has served […]

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News

British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) Statement on recent bomb threats

05 Nov 2026

Joji Waites, BALPA Director of Flight Safety, Policy and Regulation, said, “Aviation has historically been a target for bomb threats but the industry has well proved mechanisms for dealing with such threats. When a threat to an aircraft has been notified to the airline the threat is passed to a team of assessors. These assessors use […]

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News

IAG pilot unions sign cooperation agreement

09 Oct 2026

BALPA, IALPA and SEPLA, together representing more than 9,000 pilots, have signed an agreement setting out how the IAG Pilots Alliance (IAGPA) will function, cooperate and conduct its work. The agreement is a significant achievement for IAGPA and follows a number of months of work between the unions. It represents an important step in strengthening […]

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News

BALPA pilots accept pay deal with Loganair

06 Oct 2026

The British Airline Pilots Association – BALPA – confirmed today that members at Loganair have voted by a significant majority to accept a two-year pay deal. BALPA’s Director of Industrial Relations, Chris Jones, said, “This agreement represents pay increase worth 9.2% compounded over the two years of the pay deal. “Our members have been involved […]

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News

BALPA welcomes Government’s pledge to deal with disruptive passengers

02 Oct 2026

BALPA welcomes the Government’s announcement that they will work with trade unions and airlines to create a new system for dealing with disruptive passengers. As the only recognised trade union for commercial airline pilots in the UK, we are happy to work with the Government and industry on this issue and are committed to ensuring […]

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Thinking About Becoming a Pilot?

Read the comprehensive guide on what it takes to become a pilot, and the main obstacles to consider.

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