EMIRATES Airlines, one of the world's largest cargo carriers, is responding to the ongoing shortage of qualified pilots with a new strategy - releasing a tour schedule through the United States, calling it the 'Emirates Pilot Roadshow' aimed at recruiting pilots in person to be based out of the airline's hub in Dubai.
The airlines will be visiting major US cities, including Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Boston and Seattle to host information sessions and network with qualified pilots.
With demand for airfreight capacity still soaring after the fruitful, e-commerce-driven 2017, this year the continuing need for air transportation has made the pilot shortage more acute for airlines that intend to capitalise on that demand and increase flight frequencies.
The latest initiative is similar to that of FedEx's Purple Runway programme announced in April - the expeditor's own initiative to address the shortage by bringing on underqualified aviation students in need for flight hours.
Emirates' programme makes no such promise, instead making a simple attempt to appeal to pilots already qualified with a list of benefits, including paid housing and 'pick up and drop off' to and from the airport.
While the industry at large agrees that there is a shortage of qualified airline pilots, employable pilots are around but are able to be pickier about which airline they choose to work for, reports New York's Air Cargo World.
In a report from Air Transport Services Group Inc (ATSG), the company says Air Transport International (ATI), a US-based combination carrier, has actually been able to grow its pilot count - attracting pilots by enabling them to quickly progress from First Officer to Captain, 'which is the biggest jump in pay and benefits a pilot will see,' the report said.
The airlines will be visiting major US cities, including Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Boston and Seattle to host information sessions and network with qualified pilots.
With demand for airfreight capacity still soaring after the fruitful, e-commerce-driven 2017, this year the continuing need for air transportation has made the pilot shortage more acute for airlines that intend to capitalise on that demand and increase flight frequencies.
The latest initiative is similar to that of FedEx's Purple Runway programme announced in April - the expeditor's own initiative to address the shortage by bringing on underqualified aviation students in need for flight hours.
Emirates' programme makes no such promise, instead making a simple attempt to appeal to pilots already qualified with a list of benefits, including paid housing and 'pick up and drop off' to and from the airport.
While the industry at large agrees that there is a shortage of qualified airline pilots, employable pilots are around but are able to be pickier about which airline they choose to work for, reports New York's Air Cargo World.
In a report from Air Transport Services Group Inc (ATSG), the company says Air Transport International (ATI), a US-based combination carrier, has actually been able to grow its pilot count - attracting pilots by enabling them to quickly progress from First Officer to Captain, 'which is the biggest jump in pay and benefits a pilot will see,' the report said.