Emirates will recruit more than 700 pilots in 2016 to keep up with the demand of operating its expanding fleet.
The airline, the largest operator of the A380, is to take delivery of its 80th superjumbo on Tuesday. Emirates said it expects to take delivery of a further 21 A380s in 2016, with a further 41 on order.
Emirates has more than 1,400 pilots on its A380 fleet and more than 2,500 pilots on the Boeing 777 fleet, and expects to recruit more than 700 more pilots this year, much higher than the 500 predicted by Gary Chapman earlier in 2016.
“The airline is hiring more than 700 pilots in 2016 to operate its expanding fleet and will be holding multiple recruitment events across the globe to support pilot recruitment,” a spokesperson for the airline said.
“With almost 250 aircraft on order over the next few years, the size of Emirates’ fleet and the number of pilots required to operate it are set to expand significantly,” the spokesperson said. “This is reflected in the increased number of pilots, in comparison with the last few years, that the airline is looking to recruit from around the world to join its multicultural team from more than 170 nationalities.”
The delivery of the 80th superjumbo will be followed by the launch of a daily A380 service to Vienna, Emirates’ 41st A380 destination, starting July 1.
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