British Airways and easyJet are going head to head in a recruitment battle for new pilots at Gatwick Airport.
The Times newspaper reports that the airlines are increasing recruitment efforts for new pilots amid shortages brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
easyJet is offering captains £191,000 a year in fixed and variable pay to join the low-cost carrier, according to industry sources.
Meanwhile, new captains at British Airways’ short-haul subsidiary EuroFlyer are currently paid salaries of £138,000.
easyJet has been offering pilots higher salaries than BA since the flag carrier returned to Gatwick post-pandemic with the launch of EuroFlyer in 2021.
Both airlines fly versions of the Airbus A320 aircraft family, which means they are competing for the same pool of staff.
While demand for air travel has returned post-pandemic, the aviation industry has struggled to recruit and retain new staff after losing so many experienced professionals during Covid.
According to a 2022 report by consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, pilot shortages will continue to worsen over the next decade in most regions globally.
The company forecast that Europe alone could face a shortage of 19,000 pilots by 2032.
According to The Times, a spokeswoman for easyJet insisted the carrier’s recruitment efforts were not “targeting any specific airline, [but] some of these will be based at BA. They will also be with Wizz and Tui as well as other airlines”.
