Gulf carrier Emirates Airline is mid-way through a global flightcrew recruitment drive as part of a wider push to bring in 1,500 new pilots over the next two years.
Driven by an expanding fleet and route network, the effort to bolster its pilot ranks has seen the airline holding a series of recruitment roadshows that will eventually take in around 40 cities when they wrap-up next year.
Nour Hassan, recruitment manager, flight operations at the Emirates Group, says it is running the events as “we want people to come and understand more about what Emirates is, and about being an Emirates pilot and life in Dubai”.
Hassan says overseas recruits will have little difficulty adapting to life in Dubai, or to flying some of the largest widebody jets on the market – principally Airbus A380s and Boeing 777-300ERs, but with a growing number of A350s too.
However, there will be differences, especially for anyone transferring from a typical high-intensity short-haul or low-cost operation.
Erfan Amini, a former EasyJet A320 pilot who is now an A380 first officer at Emirates, says while there were “challenges”, the switch from short- to long-haul flying has been positive.
“I was flying mainly in Europe, and now I go to six continents. We still don’t fly to Antarctica but if we do I’ll be the first one to fly there.”
There were multiple reasons behind his desire to jump to Emirates after a five-year stint at EasyJet, he says, including the Dubai carrier’s reputation, but also that he “wanted to fly the big boys and come off the A320”.
“When you look at the fleet that the Emirates have, they have got the biggest A380 fleet in the world, they have got the biggest 777 fleet in the world, and then they’re getting [787] Dreamliners and A350s too,” he says.
“So, if you want to put your hands on these shiny toys, this is the place you want to come.”
Those looking to make the switch from flying single-aisles to piloting the widest of widebodies should have no apprehension, he says: “Don’t be terrified of flying the A380 and start thinking, ‘Oh, my God, this is, this is such a challenge’.
“You get trained for it. We have lovely people in training…. and they will get you up to speed with everything; you never feel like you’re alone and you never feel like you’re out of your depth.”
Amini says the recruitment process was “very smooth”, aided by his own prior research into the airline and attendance at earlier rounds of roadshows ahead of reaching Emirates’ requirements threshold.
His advice to would-be applicants is to follow a similar path: research the airline, attend the roadshows and be prepared to ask questions.
“I thought I was very well informed but when you go to the roadshows and when you actually listen to the latest update, the information that you might have had two years ago might actually be outdated.”
Hassan describes the recruitment process for short-listed applicants as “quite straightforward”, consisting of an initial online interview and psychometric testing, followed by a face-to-face interview and simulator assessment in Dubai.
Should those hurdles be successfully cleared, all that remains is a medical check before a job offer is made.
Around 80% of applicants are successful, she says, and once they have joined, the attrition rate is “extremely low – so low that we barely even account for it”.
Although a recent round of roadshows in the UK concluded in July, Emirates has another series planned to begin in February 2026, including Belfast, London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester.
And, notes Hassan, even beyond the current recruitment surge, the airline will still need “500 [new pilots] every year after that as well”.
Amini’s advice for aspiring Emirates pilots is simple: “I’d say just get your hours up, try to hit the minimum requirements and come to the road shows. And don’t worry if you haven’t had exposure to flying in different regions of the world.
“Emirates has been doing this for 40 years, and they’ve been recruiting people from everywhere, from different cultures, with different backgrounds and different languages.”
