Aviation Employment Guidance

Know Your Rights.
Fly with Confidence.

When your airline puts you under pressure, you need someone who understands the situation — and knows what you need. After two decades on the flight deck across four major carriers, I have seen how airlines manage these situations from the inside. I understand the airline culture, the process, and what is truly at stake.

Your rights. Your career. Your choice.

Get Support Today About Right To Fly
20+Years of Flight Deck Experience
CILEXLegal Executives Pathway
UKEmployment Law Focus
Free Download

Five Things Airline Crew
Don't Know About Their

Employment Rights

A plain-English guide covering what your employer can and can't do — searches, pre-shift meetings, contract changes, safety concerns, and the rights you have from Day One. Free. No jargon.

Download Free →
What's inside
→Your rights from Day One — and what changes at two years
→Meetings before or after your shift — what the law says
→Searches by managers — the right you didn't know you had
→Contract changes imposed without your agreement
→Raising safety concerns — and the protection available to you
Free to download. Enter your email and it lands in your inbox immediately.
About Right To Fly

Guidance From Inside the Industry.

Right To Fly Ltd was founded on a simple observation: aviation professionals face some of the most complex employment situations in any industry — roster disputes, contract changes, disciplinary processes, rest violations — yet the advisors available to them rarely understand the environment they work in.

With over 20 years of flight deck experience, Right To Fly brings something no generic employment service can offer: genuine understanding of airline culture, crew contracts, CAA regulations, and the pressures that come with operating in a safety-critical environment.

I provide practical, plain-English employment guidance — reviewing contracts, drafting grievance letters, and helping you understand your position clearly before you act.

Every client is dealt with personally by me. No call centres. No automated responses. Just clear, honest guidance from someone who knows what it means to work in aviation.

My Legal Framework
Guidance provided under the CILEX system — the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, fully recognised by the Legal Services Board and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Advice delivered under the CILEX framework — a recognised UK legal professional pathway
Aligned with current UK employment law and aviation-specific regulation
CILEX is fully recognised by the Legal Services Board and regulated by the SRA
Current services are guidance and document support only. For matters requiring regulated legal representation, I will refer you to a qualified solicitor.
Patrick — Founder, Right To Fly Ltd
My Services

Practical Support,
Built for Crew.

From a simple contract question to a formal grievance — aviation-specific employment guidance at every stage.

🔍
Case Assessment
A thorough review of your situation — redundancy, dismissal, discrimination, or contractual dispute. Understand your position and your realistic options before you take any action.
£59 · 60-minute consultation
Book Now →
⚖️
Grievance & Appeal Letters
Professionally drafted grievance letters, appeal responses, and disciplinary replies. Documents that present your case clearly, professionally, and with legal precision.
£99 · Includes one follow-up
Get Started →
📄
Document Templates
Aviation-specific letter templates selected for your situation. Tell me what you're facing — I'll send you a specifically focused document with accurate notes on how to use it.
£15 per template
Get in Touch →
🛡️
Full Case Support
End-to-end support from initial assessment through to prepared documentation and strategy. For crew facing dismissal, formal disciplinary proceedings, or complex disputes who need someone fully in their corner.
£299–£499 · Scope agreed before payment
Get in Touch →
✈️
Flight Crew Membership
Priority responses, one free document review per quarter, and full access to the Law Monitor — ongoing support for crew who want someone permanently in their corner.
£25/month · Cancel any time
Join Now →
📡
Law Monitor
Monthly briefings covering employment tribunal decisions, legislation changes, CAA updates, ACAS guidance, working time regulations, and any development in UK employment law that affects pilots and cabin crew. Verified primary sources only.
2 months free · then £7/month · Cancel any time
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Union Representation

What Your Union Can — and Can't — Do For You

Union membership is valuable — but it does not automatically guarantee individual legal support when you need it most.

⚠️
Collective Priorities, Not Individual Ones
Several aviation unions have reps who are generally available at every base, and that local presence is genuinely valuable — especially for day-to-day workplace issues. But when it comes to your specific situation, unions must weigh your needs against those of the wider membership.
📋
Legal Support Is Not Guaranteed
Many union members are surprised to find that legal assistance for individual employment disputes is discretionary, not automatic. Unions decide case by case whether to support you — and there are conditions attached.

"The cost of taking legal action on members' behalf can be expensive, which means in general a case would need to have good prospects of success to be supported (i.e. more than 50% chance of success)."
— BALPA Membership Page · Members are not usually eligible for legal support until they have been members for more than 3 months.
⏱️
Delays Cost You Time
Employment Tribunal time limits are strict — three months less one day in most cases. That clock starts running from the moment something goes wrong — not from when you decide to act. Waiting for union approval, for a rep to become available, or for an internal process to conclude can be the difference between a viable claim and a missed deadline.
🤝
Companion Rights Have Limits
Under the Employment Relations Act 1999, you have the right to be accompanied by a union rep or colleague at disciplinary and grievance hearings — but that companion cannot answer questions on your behalf or present your case independently.
Right To Fly works alongside your union membership — not against it. I provide the individual, personal legal guidance that unions are often unable to deliver. Many of my clients remain union members — they simply found that when the moment came, they needed someone in their corner who was focused entirely on them. If you are not a union member, or your union is unable to support your individual case, Right To Fly provides the dedicated one-to-one help that fills that gap.
Employment guidance consultation — Right To Fly Ltd
How I Compare

The Right Choice for Aviation.

See how Right To Fly compares to instructing a solicitor on what matters most to aviation professionals.

Feature
Right to Fly
AVIATION SPECIALIST
Solicitor
GENERAL EMPLOYMENT
Aviation-specific expertise✅ 20+ years flight deck❌ General employment only
Understands crew contracts & rosters✅ Inside knowledge❌ No aviation focus
CAA & Working Time Regulations✅ Specialist knowledge⚠️ General guidance only
Case Assessment✅ £59£150–£300 per hour
Grievance Letter✅ £99£300–£500+
Full Case Support✅ £299–£499£1,500–£5,000+
Pay as you go — no subscription✅ Always✅ Yes
Speaks the industry language✅ Flight deck experience❌ Generic advisors
One dedicated personal contact✅ Direct, personal⚠️ Teams or firms
Response time✅ 2 business days⚠️ Variable
✈
The difference no other service can offer
General employment providers employ excellent advisors. But none has spent over 20 years on the flight deck. None understands why your roster pattern matters to your case, or why the interaction between aviation-specific flight time regulations and general working time law is so complex. That context is not a nice-to-have. In aviation employment cases, it is often the difference between identifying a violation and missing it entirely.
Why Right To Fly

The Difference Is Experience.

01
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Flight Deck Experience
Over 20 years on the flight deck means I understand aviation contracts, crew culture, and airline operations in a way no generic employment advisor can match.
02
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CILEX Legal Framework
Guidance delivered under the CILEX system — Chartered Institute of Legal Executives — a fully recognised UK legal professional pathway regulated by the SRA.
03
💷
Transparent & Affordable
Fixed, published prices — below comparable general providers on every service. No hidden fees, no subscriptions. Pay for what you need, when you need it.
04
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Personal, Direct Service
No call centres, no automated responses. Every case handled personally — by someone who has been in your environment and takes your situation seriously.
Client Stories

Crew Who Flew Right.

When I was called in for a meeting with local management regarding an ongoing investigation, I felt anxious and completely isolated. I had no union membership and didn't know where to turn. A colleague from another airline recommended Patrick, and within a few hours he had contacted me, talked me through everything, explained my rights clearly, and helped me understand exactly what management could and couldn't do. The outcome was far better than I expected.

S.B. — Cabin Manager
Workplace Investigation Client

I was facing pressure from management over my attendance record — I have young children and the inevitable colds and bugs that come with them had affected my sick days. As a licensed pilot I wasn't sure where I stood or what protections I had. Patrick explained my rights clearly, helped me document everything properly, and gave me a strategy I could use with confidence. The pressure from management stopped. I wish I'd found him sooner.

Captain B. — Commercial Airline Pilot
Workplace Pressure Client

After suffering a serious work-related injury that left me on long-term sick leave, my airline provided no support and my union practically nothing. Patrick stepped in, helped me understand my rights, and ensured I wasn't left to navigate the process alone. He continues to touch base to see how I'm getting on, and provides support well beyond what I expected. I don't know where I would have been without him.

Captain M. — Commercial Airline Pilot
Long-Term Sickness Support Client

I found Patrick through a pilots' Facebook group after posting about a disciplinary situation I was facing. He responded promptly, assessed my situation, and gave me a clear picture of where I stood and what to do next. Exactly the kind of no-nonsense support I needed.

R.D. — First Officer
Disciplinary Support Client
Law Monitor

Employment law tracked for aviation.

Tribunal decisions, legislation changes, CAA updates and ACAS guidance — verified to primary source, assessed for relevance to pilots and cabin crew. Updated monthly.

Tribunal 26 Mar 2026
Azarkevich v easyJet Airline Company Limited [6023269/2024] — First Officer Dismissed Following Rape Charge Upheld Despite Acquittal
A First Officer employed by easyJet at London Gatwick was dismissed in October 2024 after being charged by police with rape and sexual assault. He was subsequently acquitted in June 2025 when the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued proceedings. His unfair dismissal claim was nonetheless dismissed by Employment Judge Morton at London South Employment Tribunal.
What was decided: The tribunal found easyJet's decision to dismiss fell within the range of reasonable responses. The key finding was that easyJet was entitled to consider the reputational damage and operational impact of retaining a pilot facing serious criminal charges, regardless of the ultimate outcome of those proceedings. The acquittal did not render the original dismissal unfair — what mattered was what the employer knew and reasonably believed at the time of dismissal.
Relevance to aviation professionals: Licence holders facing serious criminal charges outside work may face dismissal even where no conviction follows. Airlines operate in a heavily regulated environment with significant reputational considerations — tribunals have consistently recognised this as a legitimate factor in dismissal decisions. Crew in this situation should seek case preparation support at the earliest opportunity.
New Body 07 Apr 2026
Fair Work Agency — Established 7 April 2026
The Fair Work Agency was established on 7 April 2026 as an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade under the Employment Rights Act 2025. It consolidates enforcement previously split across the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, and HMRC National Minimum Wage enforcement.
What this means: The FWA has powers to inspect workplaces, issue Notices of Underpayment with penalties up to 200% of amounts owed, and bring tribunal claims on a worker's behalf. It has a six-year lookback window for investigations.
Relevance to aviation professionals: Aviation professionals who believe they have experienced unlawful wage deductions, holiday pay shortfalls, or breaches of agency worker regulations now have a dedicated enforcement body in addition to the Employment Tribunal route.
Court of Appeal 08 Jul 2025
Lutz v Ryanair DAC & Storm Global Ltd [2025] — Agency Pilot Confirmed as Worker
The Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed appeals by Ryanair and Storm Global, confirming that pilot Jason Lutz — engaged through Storm Global to fly for Ryanair and classified as self-employed — was in law both a worker of Storm Global and an agency worker assigned to Ryanair. The Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal decisions in his favour were upheld at every stage.
What the court decided: The written label of "self-employed" in a contract is not determinative of employment status. What matters is the reality of the working relationship. Worker status under the Civil Aviation (Working Time) Regulations 2004 and the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 was established on the facts of this case.
Relevance to aviation professionals: If you are a pilot engaged through an aviation agency and classified as self-employed, this decision is directly relevant. The implications for your specific circumstances depend on the facts of your own working arrangement and should be assessed individually.
Full Digest — Subscribers Only

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Tribunal decisions across multiple operators, legislation updates, CAA changes, and ACAS guidance — all verified to primary source. Delivered to your inbox monthly.

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FAQ

Common Questions.

Can I use this service if I'm employed by a foreign airline but based in the UK?▾
My services are available to pilots and cabin crew whose employer is based in the UK. If your employer is incorporated or operates outside the UK, I am not able to assist. If you are unsure whether your situation falls within scope, get in touch and I will let you know at the outset.
I'm not sure if I have a case — can you help me find out?▾
Absolutely — that's what our Case Assessment service is for. I review your situation objectively against current UK employment law, explain what rights apply, and give you an honest view of your realistic options. There's no obligation to proceed with anything further after an assessment.
What are my rights if I am made redundant?▾
If you have two or more years of continuous employment you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay under the Employment Rights Act 1996, calculated by age and length of service. You also have the right to a fair process — your employer must follow a genuine selection process, consult with you, and consider suitable alternative roles. If the process is flawed, you may have a claim for unfair dismissal.
Can my airline change my contract without my agreement?▾
No. Your employer cannot unilaterally impose significant changes to your terms and conditions without your agreement. If they attempt to do so, this may constitute a breach of contract. In some cases airlines use a fire and rehire approach — heavily regulated under the updated Code of Practice. If your airline is attempting to change your roster pattern, base, pay, or rest entitlements without agreement, I can review your position.
What protection do I have against unfair dismissal?▾
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, employees with two or more years of continuous service have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. Your employer must have a fair reason and must follow a fair procedure. The Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced significant changes to unfair dismissal rights. If you have been dismissed and believe the reason or process was unfair, a Case Assessment will clarify your position and your time limits.
Can you help with Working Time Regulations for aviation?▾
Yes — this is one of my specialisms. The Working Time Regulations 1998 as applied to civil aviation crew, alongside the CAA's Flight Time Limitations and crew rest requirements, are complex and frequently misapplied by airlines. Common violations include inadequate rest between duties, excessive annual hours, and failures to provide proper rest facilities. My flight deck background means I understand these rules in practice as well as in law.
What is ACAS early conciliation and do I need it?▾
Before making a claim to the Employment Tribunal, you are legally required to notify ACAS and go through Early Conciliation. ACAS will contact both parties to attempt resolution without Tribunal proceedings. The process is free and confidential. Importantly, contacting ACAS stops the clock on your claim limitation period — normally three months less one day from the act complained of.
What are the time limits for bringing an employment claim?▾
Time limits are strict and missing them will usually end your claim. For unfair dismissal and most discrimination claims the limit is three months less one day from the date of dismissal or the act complained of. For redundancy pay claims it is six months. These limits are paused whilst you go through ACAS Early Conciliation. If you think you may have a claim, contact us immediately — do not wait.
How quickly will I hear back?▾
I aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days. For urgent matters — such as an imminent disciplinary hearing or a Tribunal deadline — please indicate this clearly when you get in touch and I will prioritise your case.
Get in Touch

Start the Conversation.

Describe your situation briefly and we'll come back to you within two business days. For urgent matters please say so and I will prioritise.

✉️
Email
patrick@righttofly.co.uk
Response within two business days
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Response Time
Within two business days
Urgent matters prioritised — please say so
🇬🇧
Jurisdiction
UK employment law only
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Ready to Fly Right?

Your Rights. Your Career.
Your Choice.

Whether you are facing a disciplinary, a grievance, or simply want to know where you stand — Right To Fly is here.

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