UK airlines have reacted quickly to the collapse of Monarch airlines which left around 400 ex-Monarch pilots looking for new positions. A number of airlines set-up Monarch-specific recruitment web pages within hours of the news that Monarch had ceased flying, with major airlines including Virgin Atlantic, EasyJet, Flybe, Thompson and BA City Flyer all offering a ‘fast track’ applications process for ex-Monarch crew. It is understood that West Atlantic at Coventry offered positions to virtually all the ex-Monarch B737 pilots based at Birmingham and Titan Airways at Stansted were also quick to respond to the number of qualified and experienced pilots suddenly coming onto the jobs market, in a sign of the current overall shortage of pilots. The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) also say that they have negotiated new job opportunities for former Monarch pilots. BALPA staff and reps were in contact with several airlines after the news broke to identify any recruitment opportunities available, this has resulted in 30 companies coming forward with over 100 opportunities, BALPA has also organised seven training days to prepare pilots for interviews. Speaking in mid-October, BALPA Head of Membership and Career Service, Wendy Pursey, said: “It’s only been two weeks since Monarch’s insolvency but since then we’ve been working hard to ensure there are ample opportunities for our members in Monarch. The news of the company’s collapse has been devastating for many, especially for those employees of Monarch, some of whom have spent most of their careers with the airline. By hosting training to prepare pilots for interview, we’re hoping we can get as many of those pilots back into work as soon as possible.”
