Aviation jobs: Wizz Air plans to hire 4,600 pilots | ZAWYA MENA Edition

Aviation jobs: Wizz Air plans to hire 4,600 pilots | ZAWYA MENA Edition

European budget carrier Wizz Air plans to launch a massive recruitment campaign to hire additional cabin crew and 4,600 pilots by 2030, to meet its expansion targets.

The airline had earlier established a joint venture with Abu Dhabi’s major holding company ADQ. In the past year, it has opened 18 new bases and kicked off more than 300 new routes across its network.

In a statement on Sunday, the carrier said it is looking to triple its fleet, with 500 Airbus aircraft expected in the next decade. As part of its growth strategy, the European airline has recently trained more than 150 new pilots to operate over 100 percent of pre-COVID capacity this summer, with upcoming plans to hire over 300 more by the end of 2021.

“We are pleased to be recruiting for thousands of new pilot positions at an exciting time for Wizz Air, as we continue to grow our presence across Europe and beyond,” said Heiko Holm, chief operations officer of the airline.

Holm said the airline provides competitive compensation to its flight crew, as well as opportunities to achieve improved work-life balance.

The recruitment drive is open to experienced captains and first officers, including those who have no flying experience at all. The airline’s Wizz Air Pilot Academy Program provides aspiring pilots the opportunity to obtain a commercial pilot’s license.

The airline did not specify how many cabin crew members it intends to hire.

Last December, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi announced that it would start flying to Athens, its inaugural destination, on January 2021. Airlines have incurred losses since the COVID-19 pandemic begun.