DUBAI: Dubai’s flagship carrier, Emirates, plans to recruit 5,000 pilots in eight years, the airline’s Co-Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer Adel Ahmed Al Redha, told Gulf News, as the aviation giant accelerates its expansion plans to meet surging travel demand.
Al Redha revealed details about the ambitious hiring target during the sixth graduation ceremony of Emirates’ cadet pilot programme at the Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) on Tuesday.
Recent industry forecasts have underscored the scale of the challenge facing the region’s aviation sector, with Middle Eastern carriers projected to require an additional 10,300 pilots by 2030 to support their expansion plans.
Emirates has commitments for roughly 375 future widebody aircraft, split between Boeing 777X/777F/787 and Airbus A350-900, after topping up both its 777X and A350 orders at Dubai Airshow last month. This intensifies the pressure to recruit qualified pilots in the coming months and years.
Addressing concerns about sourcing so many pilots, Al Redha admitted the task was complex but expressed confidence in the airline’s multi-channel recruitment approach.
