Airlines at Gatwick are competing to hire new pilots with high salaries as staff shortages continue in post-pandemic air travel.
EasyJet and British Airways, the aviation hub’s largest operators, both fly versions of the Airbus A320 commercial aircraft with recruitment efforts aimed at pilots who have the same training.
Pilot training programmes and hiring were largely frozen during Covid, and as passenger numbers recover, a lack of air staff to operate flights has been reported.
EasyJet is currently offering captains an annual salary of up to £170k including variable pay, dependent on experience.
Flag carrier airline BA returned to Gatwick in March 2022 with a new shorthaul EuroFlyer division after focusing on flights from Heathrow during Covid.
Top salaries at BA start around £138,000 according to industry sources, reports The Times.
An easyJet job advert on LinkedIn for “A320 rated” captains at London Gatwick in 2025 says the roles offer “fantastic development opportunities based on merit, not seniority”.
Listed benefits include generous leave allowance, complimentary food and drink during flights, and staff travel discounts across the industry.
According to the airline, recruitment efforts and competitive salaries are not a result of a pilot shortage. It says this is part of the normal hiring process.
British Airways’ Speedbird Pilot Academy recruitment programme announced a £21m investment in July to fund training for 200 prospective pilots.
The airline is currently hiring pilots at London Gatwick for BA EuroFlyer with a starting salary of £61,648 plus allowances circa £14,000.
Management consulting firm Oliver Wyman forecast in 2022 that the global aviation industry could be short nearly 80,000 pilots by 2032.
A spokesperson for easyJet said: “EasyJet is growing and so this recruitment is part of our normal process to hire pilots ahead of the next summer season alongside our usual internal promotions.”
In April, easyJet reopened applications for their 2024 Pilot Training Programme in a drive to recruit 1000 new captains by 2028.
The two-year intensive course also aims to encourage more women to consider careers in aviation.
Captain Kate West, pilot training manager at easyJet, said: “We are delighted to reopen applications for this year’s Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme…
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