BALPA is an association run by pilots for pilots. With over 40 million flying hours and 10,000 members, together we make up the largest collective resource of commercial aviation skills and qualifications in the UK.

We value the input of our members, it’s what makes us tick. The vast knowledge and technical expertise within BALPA membership is crucially important to the collective strength of our association. 

The BALPA petitions website has been designed to harness the knowledge and experience of our broad membership to ensure we stay focused on every issue affecting the piloting profession. 

What is BALPA petitions? 

The BALPA petitions service allows members to open direct dialogue with the governing body of the association – the National Executive Council (NEC). 
Petitions must follow the standards and rules set out below. After 500 signatures, a petition will secure a formal debate by the NEC and will get a written response. 

How petitions work

  1. You create a petition. Only BALPA members can create or sign a petition.
  2. You ask other BALPA members to support your petition. 
  3. Once submitted, your petition will go through a moderation process to ensure it meets the required standards for petitions (see below). 
  4. If your petition meets the required standard, it will be published and open for signatures. Any petitions that do not meet the set standards for petitions will be rejected. 
  5. At 500 signatures, the petition will be formally accepted for debate by the BALPA National Executive Council (NEC). 
  6. After the NEC have debated your petition, you will get a written response.
  7. At its own discretion, the NEC may respond to selected petitions that do not gather the required 500 signatories. 
  8. The NEC may, at its own discretion, invite the author of any petition to submit further supplementary evidence and/or address the NEC in person.

Standards for petitions

  • Petitions can only be submitted by a BALPA member. 
  • Petitions must be about something within BALPA’s broad remit.
  • Petitions can only be open for six months. 
  • Petitions that do not meet the required threshold of 500 signatures during its six-month open period will be closed. 
  • Any petition that calls for the same action as a previous or current petition will not be accepted for a full period of 18 months. 
  • BALPA petitions are designed to cover national or regional issues affecting the piloting profession. Any petition calling for action on local issues relevant to a specific airline or group of established reps will be rejected and referred to any relevant company council or committee. 

Rules 

We will reject petitions that do not meet the rules. If we reject your petition, we will do our best to explain why. If possible, we will suggest other ways you could raise your issue.

A petition will be rejected if:

  • It is about something BALPA is not responsible for 
  • It calls for the same action as a petition that is already open or has been closed within the timescales already set out in the petition standards
  • It includes something that your local reps or company council is responsible for
  • It is defamatory or libellous, contains false statements or is confidential
  • It refers to an ongoing legal case 
  • It makes a personal accusation or calls for the removal of someone from their position. (there are other available avenues for this type of issue. See BALPA Rule Book)
  • It is related to an election, or is a vote of no confidence in elected officials
  • It is nonsense, a joke, advert spam or promotes a commercial service 
  • It contains swearing or other offensive language
  • It is offensive or extreme in its views

BALPA’s Communications & External Relations Committee will be responsible for the moderation of all submitted petitions based on the above rules and standards. 

BALPA reserves the right to reject any petition on any other grounds it deems unacceptable