British Airways, owned by Spain’s International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), is preparing for its busiest summer in half a decade in 2024. To meet the anticipated demand, the airline plans to recruit about 350 new employees for customer service and ground- handling roles.
In addition to expanding its workforce, British Airways will also upgrade computers and other technology at its main hub as part of a comprehensive transformation plan led by Sean Doyle, chief executive, British Airways.
The airline, which laid off thousands of employees during the Covid-19 pandemic, has struggled to rehire staff amid the rapid rebound in travel. The company has also faced challenges with its IT systems, leading to frequent last-minute flight cancellations that stranded travellers.
The new IT system, critical to improving operations, will not be fully operational by the end of this summer. Therefore, the newly- recruited staff will play a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations during the busy travel season.
Last year, British Airways launched the ‘Speedbird Pilot Academy’ to sponsor the training of 60 pilots, annually. Candidates aged 18 to 55 are given the opportunity to undergo pilot training at an approved school, with the promise of being absorbed into the British Airways crew upon successful completion.
Given that British Airways offers world-class training, this can be a great opportunity for those who aspire to be pilots. While the airline hires commercial pilots, it also offers opportunities to military pilots to work in the commercial aviation space after their tenure with the UK Armed Forces is over.
