Aer Lingus to start recruiting and training pilots again after four-year break

Aer Lingus is to reopen its pilot recruitment drive, spanning the next five years, for the first time since before the pandemic.

The airline is offering 90 “aspiring pilots a unique opportunity to realise their ambitions and become a pilot of tomorrow for the airline”, it said in a statement. Aer Lingus will take in 18 candidates this year, with applications accepted until August 16th. The airline fully sponsors the course.

“Aer Lingus’s transatlantic expansion and Dublin hub growth strategy means there are opportunities for new Aer Lingus-trained pilots to join our team of captains and first officers who currently fly to over 80 European destinations, and to 14 North American destinations on our long haul network,” the airline’s chief executive Lynne Embleton said. “Our continued focus on using Ireland’s unique geographic position to connect Europe to North America and vice versa presents immensely exciting careers for those who are passionate about being a pilot.”

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“While pilots are required to be technically adept, many of the required competencies like decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork and communication are readily transferred from other careers,” chief instructor Capt Karl O’Neill said. “We are seeking to attract future pilots with a wide breadth of qualifications from all backgrounds to reflect the rich diversity of our society and economy.”