UAE Jobs: Airlines, Tourism Sector Hiring 2023

flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith told Gulf News: “This year, we took delivery of 20 new aircraft and expanded our network to 114 destinations. To support this growth, we have expanded our workforce and since early 2022 Attracted over 1,300 new hires, 80% of which were cabin crew, engineers and pilots. It was the largest recruitment drive we have ever undertaken.”

Al Ghaith added: “The recruitment drive to add more talented professionals to our workforce is currently underway and will continue through 2023.”

Asked about employees who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, the chief executive said flydubai has retained most of its staff and could ramp up operations quickly when the government lifts travel restrictions. “We introduced a voluntary furlough scheme and 97 per cent of those who opted for it have rejoined the workforce,” he said.

Emirates has also confirmed its plans to recruit new talent. A spokesman for the airline said, “We are looking for customer-facing talent, including flight attendants, pilots and airport service personnel, as well as below-the-wing roles such as skilled mechanics, technicians and planners, for upper-level jobs. — a wing role managing our resources in airports, cargo and catering, as well as key roles in engineering and IT, among other things.”

In addition, in light of flydubai’s strategic expansion plans, Emirates is also looking for professionals in human resources, finance, legal, marketing and executives across brands and divisions.

The travel industry has already staged a stunning rebound since 2022, and airlines and travel companies expect the trend to become even stronger in 2023. “At the Emirates Group, we foresee this growth and begin hiring for a number of key roles and our brands in late 2021. Next year, we will continue to focus on recruiting and sourcing talent globally,” the company spokesperson added.

Compensation structures at most airlines vary by position and seniority. “For example, the average starting salary for our cabin crew is Dh10,000 based on base salary and flight salary, while the average salary for a co-pilot is about Dh31,000 based on basic salary and flight salary,” explained an Emirates spokesperson. The flag carrier also offers a range of benefits to its employees, including eligibility for profit sharing, medical insurance, life insurance, discounted cargo and airfare.

In the case of travel agencies, employees can earn anywhere between Dh4,000 to Dh8,500 based on their years of experience. “A ticket agent may earn between Dh4,000 and Dh5,000, while an airport check-in agent may earn between Dh3,500 and Dh4,000. An airline sales executive can earn between Dh7,500 and Dh8 per month ,500,” said Husain Iqbal, general manager of Sharaf Travel GSA.

Iqbal added: “On the GSA (General Sales Agent) side, we have been recruiting, but it is purely based on need. We have recruited in several areas, including reservations and ticketing, GSA sales and airport operations,” he added.

Maxmillian Buerger, managing director of market intelligence platform and consultancy AFM.aero, said 2023 is expected to be a strong year for Middle East airlines, with huge demand for talent to support business recovery and subsequent growth. However, Bulger said the strongest demand will be for pilots.

“In 2022, the 12 largest U.S. airlines will hire nearly 13,500 new pilots — the most hiring on record. In India, there were days in December when daily air travel passengers surpassed 2019’s For the record, the country issued more than 1,000 pilot licenses in the last year (also a record),” Buerger said.

In the UAE, airline pilot training academies such as the Emirates Flight Training Academy graduated the most with 53 new pilots. “Even new international pilot training institutions, such as AeroGuard Arabia in Saudi Arabia, are showing the need for construction to meet the demand for pilots in the coming years,” Buerger explained.

In its 2022-2041 global service forecast, Airbus said airlines will need 585,000 new pilots worldwide, which translates to 80 new pilots per day. To train a new pilot ready to fly, airlines need at least a year and a half to two years and need adequate pilot training infrastructure and instructors. “The Middle East has been focused on strengthening its pilot training infrastructure, with flight schools continuing to operate throughout the pandemic knowing that there will be a lot of demand post-pandemic,” he said.

• Aeronautical engineer: Dh21,600

• Aerospace engineer: Dh26,200

• Aerospace Technician: Dh19,900

• Crew: Dh13,300

• Air traffic assistant: Dh10,900

• Airline first officer: Dh22,800

• Aviation Analyst: Dh22,800

• Aircrew: Dh10,000 (starting salary)

Each role requires specific technical, creative or other complex skills. Here are some of the key soft skills Emirates expects from its employees:

• Communication and collaboration

• Ability to access and analyze information (data analytics)

• Curiosity and love of learning

• EQ