Airlines at Gatwick fight for pilots in recruitment push

EasyJet offers captains a salary of up to 170k to attract staff

- NATALIE WILSON

Airlines at Gatwick are competing to hire new pilots with high salaries as staff shortages continue in post-pandemic air travel.

EasyJet and British Airways, the aviation hub’s largest operators, both fly versions of the Airbus A320 commercial aircraft with recruitment efforts aimed at pilots who have the same training.

Pilot training programmes and hiring were largely frozen during Covid but as passenger numbers recover, a lack of air staff to operate flights has been reported. To overcome this staff crisis, EasyJet is currently offering captains an annual salary of up to £170,000, including variable pay, dependent on experience.

Flag carrier airline BA returned to Gatwick in March 2022 with a new shorthaul EuroFlyer division after focusing on flights from Heathrow during Covid. Top salaries at BA start around £138,000 according to industry sources, reports The Times.