As the aviation industry has been strongly evolving post pandemic, airlines are again focusing on increasing capacity and hiring new talents. In this post, we share some of the latest developments in job vacancies.
Lufthansa Hiring 20,000 Employees
Lufthansa Group has recently launched one of the largest recruitment campaigns to hire as many as 20,000 new employees to keep up with surging demand for flights after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.
The German flag carrier’s campaign started on the 21st of November and it is looking for new employees in more than 45 professions, mainly focusing on pilots, flight attendants, technicians, IT specialists and lawyers. The new employees will be based in Frankfurt and Munich as well as Zurich, Vienna and Brussels. Furthermore, some of them will be based at the group’s technology base in Hamburg and the locations of the Eurowings Group.
Some of the new hires will replace the outgoing employees whereas others are being hired for expansion plans. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, Lufthansa had 138,000 employees. However, according to the most recent figures released in October this year, it had 109,000 employees.
Commenting on this latest development, Lufthansa’s chief human resources officer, Michael Niggemann stated that the group is “Looking to the future with great ambition. In order to be at the top of the industry, we need committed and motivated employees for a wide range of tasks and challenges.”
“The companies in the Lufthansa Group offer prospects for the future with exciting job offers. Connecting people, cultures and economies in a sustainable way are what drives us. We need reinforcements for that. We still have a lot to do!”
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is expecting to operate 70% of its pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, with the group aiming to reach full levels in 2024. In order to do so, the Hong Kong-based carrier is back on a hiring spree recently.
Following the easing of travel restrictions, Cathay Pacific Group now aims to hire 8,000 new staff across its subsidiaries. Around 4,000 of them will be recruited for Cathay Pacific Airways between now and the end of 2023, including 700 pilots and 2,000 cabin crew members. Cathay Pacific has seen its strong workforce shrink by 37% from 2019 to the end of 2021.
“We are very confident that Hong Kong will be opening up. We are making this preparation. We are making this commitment and investment in recruiting so many people ahead of time.”
Cathay Pacific CEO Augustus Tang Kin-wing
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic intends to hire 200 new cabin crew members for an initial 6-month fixed-term contract.
Commenting on its latest recruitment drive, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief People Officer, Estelle Hollingsworth said, “We’re thrilled to be recruiting for cabin crew once again …. we’re committed to continuing our support of diversity both on the ground and on board. We’re seeking new recruits from all backgrounds who aspire to be the friendly, smiling and professional face that is the airline – with the iconic Virgin Atlantic style and flair.”
Even though the flight attendants are currently being hired on a short-term contract, this is likely to be extended.
Qatar Airways, American Airlines and more…
Last month, Qatar Airways reportedly started to hire 10,000 new employees across its business for long-term plans as well as to cope with demand for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Currently, the Doha-based carrier has around 45,000 employees, down from the over 50,000 employees it had before the pandemic.
American Airlines is also looking to hire more than 700 new employees based in Miami, in the customer service and reservations departments. It includes about 600 positions open for reservation representatives, which are remote positions even though, they require applicants to live within a 75-mile radius of Miami International Airport. These new hires are expected to undergo paid training in January 2023.
Emirates Group is looking to recruit more than 800 IT experts in the next few months for a range of roles in software engineering, DevOps, Hybrid cloud, Agile delivery, technical product management, Digital Workplace, cybersecurity, IT architecture, innovation and service management.
Furthermore, Air India is also seeking about 100 pilots to fly its Boeing 777 wide bodies. Recently, the Indian flag carrier announced its decision to lease five Boeing 777-200LRs, previously operated by Delta Airlines, to boost its long-haul network. Air India was already facing a shortage of pilots and the recent announcement of the introduction of 777-200LRs and the addition of new flights to North American destinations have added to this shortage.
According to Future and Active Pilot Advisors, 11,372 pilots have been hired by the major airlines from January through October this year and they are expecting this number to breach the 13,500 mark by the end of 2022, making 2022 the best year on record for pilot hiring.