Emirates continues hiring speed as it expands services

DUBAI: Aviation training academies are seeing a surge in demand, with attractive remuneration packages, as UAE and regional airlines speed hiring while expanding services.

In some cases, enrollments in IATA-accredited cabin crew study programs have surged by at least 40% since the fourth quarter of last year as airlines ramped up hiring to unprecedented levels.

Dr Sathya Menon, CEO of Blue Ocean Corporation, an organization that trains flight attendants, said: “We have come a long way since the first quarter of last year. Enrollment at 200 students (provided by the Faculty) has increased by nearly 40% (275 new students) in the fourth quarter of this year.

Almost all regional airlines are still pushing for massive recruitment drives to meet cabin crew demand. “Whether it’s a national carrier, a legacy carrier, a low-cost carrier or a smaller carrier, almost all airlines are on a hiring spree,” said Mark Kammer, director of dynamic advanced training operations at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Center ( Mark Kammer) said.

Emirates airlines are organizing a massive recruitment drive (local and international) as they prepare for new airline deliveries and unprecedented travel demand. While obtaining training certification from an independent organization can give candidates a better chance of finding employment with a major airline, all cabin crew are required to undergo an airline-specific intensive training program.

Emirates is organizing multiple recruitment roadshows in more than 50 countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, North America, the UK, Spain, Denmark, Belgium and the UAE, in preparation for the upcoming tourist season and as the airline prepares to take delivery of its aircraft. The A350 will be delivered in mid-2024.

A spokesperson explained that the airline currently employs 18,000 cabin crew, all of whom have undergone seven weeks of specialized training at the Emirates Aviation Academy in Dubai.

Emirates sister airline flydubai is also looking for cabin crew as it expands its network. Ghaith Al Ghaith, the airline’s chief executive, told Gulf News: “Last year, we increased our headcount by 39 percent (1,300 new hires) and we continue to grow.”

Dr Nadia Bastaki, Etihad Airways’ chief human resources, organizational development and asset management officer, said the Abu Dhabi-based airline is also conducting a global recruitment drive to prepare for the inaugural launch of its Airbus A380. Looking for crew positions before returning this summer.

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air Abu Dhabi plans to hire as many as 400 pilots and cabin crew this year as the Emirates carrier prepares to fly more routes and capture a bigger share of demand for cheap flights.

Despite recruiting 10,000 staff for the FIFA World Cup last year, Qatar Airways is still organizing recruitment drives in Uruguay, Jordan, Uganda, South Africa, India, Pakistan and several other countries.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker told Gulf News: “We did recruit a lot of temporary staff during the Olympics, but we recruited 50% of these temporary staff permanently into our workforce to drive our airline’s develop.”

This hiring drive isn’t just about meeting a surge in travel demand, it’s about getting the metal flying; attrition rates need to be addressed, too. “Independent aviation analysts point to the Middle East as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, with the region’s fleet expected to grow by 5.1% annually over the next decade,” Kammer said.

“Ten years from now, 50 percent more aviation personnel will be needed than are currently employed,” he added.

Cabin crew salaries consist of three components – base salary, flight salary and average gross salary. The average base salary in the UAE may be between Dh4,000 – Dh8,000 per month; flight wages are between Dh60 – Dh80 per hour and the average gross salary is between Dh10,000 – Dh15,000 per month.

Below is a breakdown of average cabin crew salaries while working for Middle Eastern airlines.

“Unlike in the past, our intake this year also includes Emirati students and some students from Saudi Arabia,” Dr Menon said. However, most of the students of Blue Ocean College, the training department that recruits education consulting, are overseas recruits from South Asia, Eastern Europe and some African countries.

“We have students from Eastern Europe, other Arab countries and African countries who aspire to join GCC airlines as well as international airlines such as British Airways or Lufthansa,” he added. Recruits, usually aged 22-23, enter independent cabin crew training institutes in the hopes that they will have a better chance of being recruited by regional and other GCC airlines. “It’s a great opportunity to learn the basics and then receive specialized training with the airline they eventually choose to join,” Dr Menon added.

Aspirants from overseas are attracted to the UAE because the country’s national airlines (Emirates, Etihad, flydubai) and other regional airlines such as Qatar Airways offer competitive salaries for crew Officers offer a wide range of benefits, said Dr. Menon.

Etihad offers cabin crew fully furnished accommodation in Abu Dhabi, competitive salaries, medical insurance and travel benefits for friends and family.

“Some cabin crew enjoy preferential travel. Employee travel benefits of other airlines can be used based on inter-airline agreements/policies. Accommodation provided by some airlines as well as utility bills are also covered,” he added.