Leadership

Emirates is celebrating the new year and the imminent arrival of its spanking new fleet of Airbus A350s with a global cabin crew recruitment drive with a difference. The 5,000 new joiners will ensure the airline’s commitment to offering the world’s best inflight experience maintains a steady course. The recruitment drive is designed primarily for those who will soon or have recently stepped into the world of work. The airline is inviting fresh graduates with internships or part-time jobs on their résumés, those with a year or so of hospitality or customer service experience, and individuals keen to embark on an exciting career travelling the globe. The new recruits will be a part of the world’s largest international airline and one of the most iconic brands, plus they will learn hospitality and life skills from the best trainers in the business. What’s more, they will travel the world across more than 140 cities in 76 countries and enjoy the entire gamut of benefits working as Emirates’ cabin crew. Click here for the eligibility criteria. Recruitment drive In 2024, Emirates’ recruitment team will host open days and assessments in more than 460 cities across six continents, reflecting the span of the airline’s network and the diversity of its cabin crew team, while flying the flag for living and working in dynamic Dubai. In 2023, Emirates hired a staggering 8,000 cabin crew and held recruitment events in 353 cities as the airline ramped up its services post the pandemic. In August 2023, the airline’s cabin crew numbers crossed the 20,000 milestone and are now 21,500 strong. Fleet and network expansion The new cabin crew recruitment drive comes as Emirates begins to take delivery of its eagerly anticipated A350s from mid-year and the Boeing 777-Xs starting in 2025. The airline has 65 A350s and a mix of 205 777-9s and 777-8s in its order book. The new aircraft will expand the airline’s reach and provide flexibility to add new routes to its network. Training and life skills All new cabin crew recruits undergo an intense eight weeks of training in delivering the highest standards of hospitality, safety and service that Emirates’ customers have come to expect over the years. Trained in Emirates’ state-of-the-art facility in Dubai, cabin crew learn invaluable transferable skills that include a knack for communications, initiative and leadership qualities. They develop the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team, the focus to stay mentally strong and calm under pressure, becoming bastions of hospitality and exceptional service, and ambassadors of an iconic brand. Cabin crew also have access to the latest training programmes and LinkedIn courses. What new joiners say Ane Monego Castagna from Italy, who joined May 2023 said: “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. During training, I was amazed by the knowledge and skills imparted to us and what it took to become an Emirates cabin crew. The opportunity to make friends for life, be super confident and to fly with the airline is priceless. Thanks to Emirates, the life I live today is better than anything I have ever dreamed of!” Robyn Clark from the UK, who joined in February 2023 said: “Working for Emirates is a job like no other. From the day I got the call to boarding every flight, I feel so proud of what I’ve accomplished. Putting on the iconic Emirates uniform every morning is a feeling I can’t explain – this really is a dream come true. I will always be grateful to Emirates for the memories I’ve made, the amazing experiences I’ve had travelling the world, and being able to come back from my journeys to Dubai – one of the safest and most vibrant cities globally – that I now call home.” Cabin crew community Emirates’ multicultural cabin crew team hail from more than 140 nationalities and speak a staggering 130 languages – which is why customers can always expect to converse with a warm, friendly voice in their own lingo. Crew form lifelong friendships and close-knit bonds within the community, fostering better teamwork, a common sense of purpose and a shared service philosophy. Cabin crew experience excellent career progression, including upgrading to higher cabin classes, and becoming a cabin supervisor, purser or trainer. Today, the airline has 1,180 pursers who have climbed the career ladder after successfully completing exacting training and assessments. Crew also have the opportunity to apply for internal vacancies throughout the Emirates Group. The cabin crew life Emirates’ cabin crew lead a cosmopolitan lifestyle in vibrant Dubai, living with 200 nationalities in a city renowned for its hotels, restaurants, food scene, leisure activities and for being one of the safest in the world. Emirates’ cabin crew enjoy a competitive, tax-free salary and flying pay, eligibility for profit share, hotel stays and layover expenses, concessional travel and cargo, annual leave, annual leave ticket, furnished accommodation, transportation to and from work, excellent medical, life and dental insurance coverage, laundry services and other benefits. Friends and family enjoy deeply discounted flight tickets, and travelling with their loved ones creates lasting memories for crew.