Ambitious? Riyadh Air Wants To Hire 700 Pilots Over The Next 3 Years | Airlines

Summary

• Riyadh Air plans to hire 700 pilots in the next 3 years to fly its Boeing 787-9s and expand its narrowbody fleet.
• The airline is also hiring cabin crew, engineers, IT professionals, and managers for various departments.
• Riyadh Air aims to offer point-to-point flights and become a global aviation and trade hub in Saudi Arabia. However, finding enough trained pilots may be a challenge.

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In the face of an international pilot shortage, Riyadh Air, the Saudi Arabia-based startup airline, wants to hire 700 pilots in 3 years to fly its Boeing 787-9s – and eventually future narrowbody airframes. Riyadh Air promises a point-to-point network to help the Saudi tourism network, plus competitive pay and benefits.

Riyadh Air is hiring – and more than pilots

Recently, Riyadh Air Chief Operating Officer Peter Bellew – formerly of Ryanair – let it be known that Riyadh Air needs 700 pilots over the next three years. According to Gulf News, Bellew noted,

“[Pilot] interviews have been taking place. We expect people to physically join us from January to April of next year. … Recruitment for the core group will continue until December this year.”

But the carrier is hiring more than pilots. One should remember that running an airline today requires cabin crew, engineers, and IT professionals amongst a score of other staffers. Screening is underway, with global cabin crew recruitment roadshows like Emirates does in the works. Currently, the carrier is hiring for airport experience, audit, cabin crew, and lounge staffers.

Middle Eastern aviation has been increasingly defined by spoke and hub operations, where Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates operate a global spoke operation to feed their hub airports. In contrast, Riyadh Air, funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, has this explicit goal, according to its website.

Riyadh Air…

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