British Airways · Captain / Commandant de bord
Direct Entry Captain - Embraer 190 - London City Base
BA Cityflyer is recruiting experienced captains to fly the Embraer 190 out of London City Airport. The airline operates business, charter and leisure flights across Europe and the UK, with a varied roster including day trips and night stops.
- Employer
- British Airways
- Position
- Captain / Commandant de bord
- Base
- Londres City
- Aircraft
- Embraer 190
- Contract
- Contrat permanent (CDI)
- Seen
- 8 October 2026
Key points
- Base at London City Airport
- Aircraft: Embraer 190
- Permanent contract
- Seven-day-a-week operation with business, charter and leisure flights
- Varied roster: day trips, night stops, tours
- Career development opportunities as Line Trainer, TRI, TRE or Pilot Recruiter
What the employer asks for
- Currently operating as a Captain desirable
- Current UK CAA Part-FCL ATPL(A) licence, or ability to convert via EASA-CAA transfer route 5 or 6
- Current type rating
- Minimum 4000 total flight hours
- Including 1500 hours as PIC on a multi-crew jet or turboprop aircraft, MTOW 20,000kg or greater (excluding PICUS hours)
- ICAO English language proficiency level 6
- Valid multi-engine instrument rating
- Valid Class 1 medical certificate (valid for at least 6 months after joining)
- E-Jet type rating desirable but not essential
- Licence copy and last 3 logbook pages to be submitted with application
What the employer offers
- Permanent contract from day one
- Company-funded conversion course/type rating (with bond)
- Private medical scheme for the pilot and family
- Medical and licence renewals paid by the company
- Company pension scheme with employer contribution up to 12%
- Loss of licence scheme on joining
- Life assurance
- Company car leasing scheme and cycle to work scheme
- 30 days annual leave after 7 years' service, rising to 35 days
- British Airways worldwide staff travel benefits on joining
- Up to 30 discounted airfares per year for self, friends and family
- Discounts on car hire, hotels and retail stores
The selection process
- Initial screening
- Video interview
- Capacity testing
- Assessment centre
- Hours and ratings checked at screening and assessment stages
Summary written by ForAllPilots from the employer's posting. Only the official posting counts: check every condition before you apply.
British legacy long-haul airline
British Airways at a glance
The British flag carrier, formed in 1974, a founding member of the oneworld alliance in 1999, with its main hub at Heathrow and a very diverse long- and medium-haul fleet.
- Bases
- London Heathrow (main), London Gatwick (secondary, via BA Euroflyer)
- Fleet
- Airbus A320/A321, A350, A380; Boeing 777, 787; Embraer 190 (BA CityFlyer)
Pilot recruitment
Member of the IAG group. Recruits qualified pilots and offers a structured ab initio cadet programme (BA Future Pilot Programme). Large and medium-haul Airbus and Boeing fleet, hence many possible type ratings.
The British Airways selection, as candidates tell it
What candidates report on forums (Aeronet, Pilot Jobs Network) and what the employer publishes, summarised by ForAllPilots. It is not the official process: it changes from one campaign to the next, always check the posting.
Reliability of the reports : medium
The stages
- Recorded video interview of a few questions (it replaced the former online maths and verbal tests).
- Computer-based crew capability test (‘EAGLE’), in the role of a first officer managing several tasks under high workload.
- Group exercise and competency-based interview.
- Simulator (A320 or A380 depending on the day), the result of which is combined with those of the interview and group exercise; the whole process takes about two months.
The aptitude tests
- EAGLE multitasking test: system monitoring, failure detection and management, small calculations in parallel.
- The former numerical and verbal reasoning tests are no longer reported in recent sessions.
The technical part
- Few technical questions reported; the simulator assesses coordination, decision-making, navigation accuracy and manual flying.
Candidates' tips
- Prepare concrete examples focused on care for customers and colleagues.
- Know the basic pitch attitudes and thrust settings for both possible simulator types.
- Practise multitasking under pressure before the EAGLE test.
Our exercises to prepare
Give yourself every chance
A captain selection focuses on leadership, decision-making and crew management: prepare real situations, what you decided and why.
Expect an in-depth technical interview and a simulator session: go over abnormal procedures and the performance of your type.
Some airlines give aptitude tests to captains too: a refresher on the arithmetic and attention exercises never hurts.