Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus has announced that it is reopening its pilot recruitment drive spanning the next five years. In order to combat pilot shortages as the carrier expands to new routes, Aer Lingus intends to fully sponsor pilots willing to join its program.

Aer Lingus’s restarted training program, known as the Future Pilot Training Program, will see 90 aspiring pilots joining the airline to receive their training and become a pilot of tomorrow for the carrier.
 

This is the first time since 2019 that the Company is running its intensive pilot training program. The program has 18 recruit candidates lined up for this year’s round. Aer Lingus will begin accepting online applications from now until 16th August 2023. The course is fully sponsored by the airline and is all-inclusive.

Aer Lingus Chief Executive, Lynne Embleton stated that “We encourage everyone interested to consider our fully funded Future Pilot Program and we particularly encourage females to apply as we continue our efforts to close the gender gap in aviation.” 
 

Embletone also shared her excitement about the program, saying“The Aer Lingus Future Pilot program opens a world of opportunity for the next generation of pilots who will join our airline.“

Sponsored Training

Aer Lingus will fully sponsor the training course and successful candidates will undergo a 14-month training program combining both theory and practical studies, working in collaboration with the renowned Spanish flight training school, FTE Jerez. Graduates will receive a Multi-crew Pilot’s Commercial License, leading them to receive a First Officer position, and ultimately a Captain position, for short and long-haul routes.

Following a period of 14 months of study in Jerez, the students will return to Aer Lingus’ Training Academy in Dublin to complete their training; they will be mentored and supported throughout by the Aer Lingus Liaison Pilot.

After qualifying, the new pilots will also operate some of the industry's most advanced and sustainable aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo and A321LR. At present, the A321LR model makes up over a third of Aer Lingus’ long-haul operations, and from 2025, the airline is anticipating adding Airbus’ newest and longest-range narrowbody, the A321XLR, with a planned delivery of six aircraft.
 

According to Embleton,  “We have a rich history at Aer Lingus of training pilots and our new Future Pilot Program continues in that wonderful tradition, for which we are well known and respected.” It appears that Aer Lingus wants to grow their crew to match their transatlantic route expansion as well.

Applying the Training

Aer Lingus’ transatlantic expansion and Dublin Hub growth strategy means there are opportunities for new Aer Lingus trained pilots to join the currently existing team of Captains and First Officers who fly to over 80 European destinations, and to 14 North American destinations on its long-haul network.

Embleton stated that “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.” 

Pilot Shortages

Aer Lingus becomes the latest in a long list of airlines pushing forward with recruitment programs to bolster their future pilot talent pool. In Europe, British Airways announced last week that it would start funding the training for 60 new pilots to join the airline every year. Leisure carrier TUI launched its own fully-funded pilot training program at the end of last year, and Iberia recently opened applications for its relaunched Iberia Cadets program.

For would-be pilots, the high cost of training outside of such funded programs has often been a block. It excludes those from less privileged backgrounds from joining the industry, something that Aer Lingus is actively looking to break through. Through its inclusive program, Aer Lingus is hoping to create more pilots for the future to solve this pilot shortage problem.