UAE and regional airlines go on a hiring overdrive as they expand services, offering attractive pay packages

Aviation training institutes are experiencing a surge in demand and are providing alluring compensation packages as regional and UAE airlines expand their services and go on a recruiting rampage.

Registrations for IATA-certified training courses for cabin crew have in certain cases increased by at least 40% since Q4 of 2017, as airlines have increased recruiting to previously unheard-of levels.

Massive recruitment drives (locally and internationally) are being organised by UAE carriers as they gear up for new airline deliveries and the unprecedented travel demand. Additionally, all cabin crew must go through rigorous training programmes tailored specifically for airlines, even though obtaining training accreditation from independent groups increases candidates' chances of earning a job at major airlines.

In advance of the upcoming travel season and as the airline gears up to receive its Airbus A350s in mid-2024, Emirates is holding a number of recruitment roadshows in over 50 nations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, North America, the UK, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, and the UAE.

All of the airline's 18,000 cabin crew members have completed a seven-week intensive training programme at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai.

As per Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief Human Resources, Organisational Development and Asset Management Officer, Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is also running global recruitment drives in search of cabin crew roles ahead of its planned return of its Airbus A380s this summer.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a low-cost airline based in the UAE, wants to add up to 400 pilots and cabin staff this year as it gets ready to expand its routes and capture a larger portion of the low-cost aviation market.

Qatar Airways is doing recruiting drives in Uruguay, Jordan, Uganda, South Africa, India, Pakistan, and a number of other nations despite employing 10,000 workers for the FIFA World Cup last year.

Three parts make up the basic, flying, and average total pay of a cabin crew member. Flying pays between Dh60 and Dh80 per hour, and the typical total compensation in the UAE is between Dh10,000 and Dh15,000 per month. The average base wage might range from Dh4,000 to Dh8,000 per month.

Along with fully furnished apartments in Abu Dhabi, competitive pay, health insurance, and benefits for friend and family travel, Etihad offers its cabin crew members.