Perks of working for Emirates as airline goes on massive recruitment drive

It’s one of the world’s best airlines for passengers - but Emirates also brings the perks for its own staff, as the company kicks off a massive recruitment drive.

As the world gets vaccinated against coronavirus, the border bans that plagued travel for the past two years are disappearing.

The resumption of international travel means airlines are busier than ever, with some of the world’s biggest companies now on massive recruitment drives.

Emirates, based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, recently announced its plans to recruit more than 6000 new staff, as it works to keep up with the massive surge in demand.

But the airline knows how competitive the industry is and with Emirates being based in the Middle East, as opposed to Europe, the US or Australia, the company is offering a number of wild perks to get staff to pack up their life and move overseas.

Emirates flight attendants. Picture: Emirates

Over the next six months, Emirates will boost its operational workforce with an extra 6000 staff, with pilots, cabin crew, engineering specialists and ground staff all on the recruitment list to help the airline ramp up operations across the globe. 

Even before learning you’ve been successful for a job with Emirates, the airline streamlines the interview process.

Interviews to join the Emirates crew takes place over three days in Dubai, with the airline providing an economy class ticket for both the candidate and their spouse and the option to upgrade to business class.

All Emirates pilots are based at the Dubai hub, described by the airline as “home to a community of expats and local pilots, who are treated with the premium service just as our passengers receive”.

Pilots are transported by private car to the briefing facility before each of their flights and children of Emirates pilots have access to private education, with the airline contributing to school fees.

Pilots get a number of perks for working with the airline. Picture: iStock

A door-to-door bus service is also provided, no matter where they children live in the city.

For pilots, Emirates offers nine flight simulators, including the Boeing 777 and A380 for people to train on.

Emirates also offers staff fully furnished apartments and villas as well as access to internationally certified schools and a health clinic specifically designed for offering primary healthcare, dental services and pharmaceuticals to Emirates staff.

For flight attendants, the accommodation is also provided free of charge and includes water, electricity and TV.

There are more than 50 buildings in various locations throughout Dubai that flight attendants can be placed in.

Two or three colleagues, of the same gender, share a two/three bedroom apartment and each have their own bedroom but share the kitchen and the living area.

Flight attendants can also have two family members visit at the same time and stay in their accommodation twice a year for a maximum of 30 days each visit.

The salary for both pilots and flight attendants is tax-free.

On average, flight attendants earn AED 9770 a month ($A3661).

An Emirates flight attendant in first class.

The monthly salary of Emirates pilots depend on their rank but captains of A380s and Boeing 777s can earn more than AED 59,000 ($A22,000).

In a statement, Emirates said this massive recruitment boost came after a “sooner-than-expected surge in customer demand”.

Emirates has already restored 90 per cent of its network and is on track to reaching 70 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity by the end of 2021.

Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum predicted the airline would be running at capacity again by mid-2022.

“Emirates has always been at the heart of Dubai’s growth. Our requirement for 6000 additional operational staff signifies the quick recovery Dubai’s economy is witnessing.

“We have been prudently restoring our operations in line with the borders re-opening and ease of travel protocols, and with the positive signs in the economic recovery and continuous growth of demand, we are hopeful to be back to where we were pre-pandemic, from mid-2022.”

Emirates has more than 45,000 staff. Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

Emirates kicked off its global recruitment campaign back in September, when it started looking for an extra 3000 cabin crew and 500 airport services employees to join its Dubai hub.

The airline is now also looking to add an additional 700 ground staff in Dubai, 600 qualified pilots and 1200 skilled technical staff, including aircraft engineers and engineering support staff, to be based in Dubai and outstations.

Emirates, the world’s largest operator of both the Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft, currently runs 263 widebody planes and the airline has a number of new aircraft on order to meet future demand, including Airbus A350s, Boeing 787-9s and Boeing 777-X aircraft types.