Emirates to hire 5,000 cabin crew this year as new Airbus A350 deliveries start in summer

New recruits will boost existing cabin crew numbers by 25%, airline says

Emirates will host open days and assessments in more than 460 cities across six continents this year. Photo: Emirates

Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, is preparing to hire 5,000 cabin crew this year as it prepares to take delivery of its new fleet of Airbus A350 wide-bodies this summer and Boeing 777X planes in 2025.

The airline is seeking to hire new graduates with internships or part-time jobs on their CVs and those with about a year of hospitality or customer service experience, it said on Tuesday.

Emirates’ recruitment team will host open days and assessments in more than 460 cities across six continents this year.

“The recruitment drive is designed primarily for those who will soon or have recently stepped into the world of work,” Emirates said.

Last year, the airline hired 8,000 cabin crew and held recruitment events in 353 cities as it ramped up services to meet a boom in travel after the Covid-19 pandemic.

In August 2023, the airline’s cabin crew numbers crossed the 20,000 mark.

It now stands at 21,500, with the new recruits set to boost that figure by 25 per cent.

The airline also ordered an 110 additional Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft for a total value of $58 billion at list prices during the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, as part of its future growth plans.

Air travel growth

The airline's latest hiring spree comes at a time when it expects travel demand to remain strong and as it monitors headwinds facing the aviation industry after posting record profits in the first half of its financial year.

“For the second half of 2023 to 2024, we expect customer demand across our business divisions to remain healthy and we will stay agile in how we deploy our resources in this dynamic marketplace,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline and Group, said in November 2023.

“At the same time, we are keeping a close watch on headwinds such as rising fuel prices, the strengthening US dollar, inflationary costs and geopolitics.”

The airline posted a record first-half profit in its current financial year as it ramped up capacity to meet strong international travel demand.

Its profit stood at Dh9.4 billion in the April to September period, up 135 per cent from the same period last year, on a boost in passenger numbers.

Revenue grew by 19 per cent, year on year, to Dh59.5 billion as the airline carried 26.1 million passengers in the first half, up 31 per cent from the same period last year.

Open day events for cabin crew

In January, Emirates will be hosting open days in cities around the world that eligible candidates are invited to attend and register without submitting an application beforehand, according to its website.

On January 17, it will host these events in Limerick in Ireland, Chisinau in Moldova, Watford in the UK and Los Angeles.

On January 18, candidates are invited to open days in the Armenian capital Yerevan, Bruges in Belgium, Paris, the Spanish city of Bilboa, Antalya in Turkey and London.

More cities and dates are listed on its website for the remainder of this month and throughout February.

The airline is also holding invite-only recruitment events where candidates are required to complete applications online to be selected to attend.

These events will be held on January 17 in Marrakesh, January 19 in Pretoria, January 21 in Cape Town, January 24 in Kuwait City and Johannesburg, with more dates and cities listed for January and February.

The airline's cabin crew team come from more than 140 countries and speak 130 languages.

“Sometimes you’ve got to chase your dreams, other times the dream chases you. In April last year, I received the ‘golden call’ that changed my life,” Emirates cabin crew member Ane Monego Castagna, an Italian recruited in May 2023, said.

“During training, I was amazed by the knowledge and skills imparted to us and what it took to become an Emirates cabin crew.”

Pay and benefits

Cabin crew can expect an average total monthly salary of Dh10,388 ($2,828), which is based on a basic monthly salary of Dh4,650 and flying pay of Dh63.75 an hour, according to its website.

Successful recruits will also benefit from free shared accommodation in Dubai, free transport to and from work, as well as concessional travel benefits for themselves, family and friends.

Crew get 30 calendar days of leave per year, medical insurance and dental packages.