UAE’s flag carrier Etihad Airways (EY) is the dominant carrier in the Middle Eastern skies alongside Emirates (EK) and Qatar Airways (QR). With the Abu Dhabi International Airport’s new terminal having recently re-opened, the airline is making a strong recovery following COVID-19.
Etihad operates over 1,000 weekly flights to over 120 destinations across its cargo and passenger networks, serving Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Their ambitious expansion plans are seeing EY employ up to 2,000 pilots in the next two to three years. With that said, here is everything you need to know about the life of a pilot at Etihad.
Etihad Airways Pilots Salary
Etihad Airways is one of the dream destinations for pilots. They have a state-of-the-art airport and some brilliant premium products, apart from providing opportunities to aviators to fly to some of the world’s most attractive destinations on their diverse fleet.
First Officer Salary at Etihad
An Etihad Airways first officer is paid a base salary of AED 26,000 (approx. $7,000) per month. This translates to $84,000 in hand per annum, keeping in mind that there are no taxes in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to their fixed pay, the compensation for flying hours is:
- 1 to 6 years of service at Etihad – AED 40 (approx. $11) per block hour.
- 7 to 10 years of service at Etihad – AED 56 (approx. $15) per block hour.
First officers are also entitled to meal allowances on layovers, which are the following dependent on region:
- Middle East/GCC/Indian Subcontinent – AED 12 (approx. $3) per layover hour.
- Asia/Far East – AED 15 (approx. $4) per layover hour.
- Africa/Australasia – AED 18 (approx. $5) per layover hour.
- Europe/Americas – AED 23 (approx. $6) per layover hour.
Captain Salary at Etihad
As for captains, Etihad pays a base salary of AED 35,200 (approx. $10,000) per month. Given that the income is tax-free, it converts to roughly $120,000 each year. The rate captains earn for their flying hours are as follows:
- 1 to 6 years of service at Etihad – AED 50 (approx. $13.5) per block hour.
- 7 to 10 years of service at Etihad – AED 80 (approx. $21) per block hour.
Captains are provided with the following meal allowances during layovers, which are determined by the regional factor:
- Middle East/GCC/Indian Subcontinent – AED 12 (approx. $3) per layover hour.
- Asia/Far East – AED 15 (approx. $4) per layover hour.
- Africa/Australasia – AED 18 (approx. $5) per layover hour.
- Europe/Americas – AED 23 (approx. $6) per layover hour.
Other Benefits Enjoyed by Etihad Pilots
In addition to their competitive salary, Etihad Airways pilots are entitled to a number of other benefits for being part of the company. Some of those are as below:
- HOUSING ALLOWANCE – Etihad Airways provides its pilots with company housing, subjective to availability. If they fail to do so, first officers are provided a housing allowance of AED 160,000 (approx. $43,500) per year, while captains are provided AED 170,000 (approx. $46,000) each year.
- EDUCATION ALLOWANCE – Etihad Airways pilots are provided with education allowances for up to three children. For primary schooling, this amount is AED 40,000 (approx. $11,000) yearly, and for secondary education, it stands at AED 55,000 (approx. $15,000) per year.
- INCOME PROTECTION SCHEME – Etihad offers its pilots an income protection scheme. This is to ensure that themselves and their families are not impacted adversely in case of illness or injuries which may result in incapability to work for a certain duration for the aviator.
- ANNUAL LEAVES – Etihad provides its pilots with 42 paid days of annual leave. This is equivalent to two calendar months, assuming the employee works for 20 days per month.
- TRAVEL BENEFITS – Etihad pilots and their families are provided free (dependent on last-minute availability) or heavily discounted tickets to fly to their preferred destinations. There is no limit on how many bookings can be made.
- INSURANCE – Etihad’s pilots are provided with accidental cover and life insurance. This ensures that their families are well compensated in case of a mishap involving the airline’s employees.
- END OF SERVICE BENEFITS – The airline also provides end-of-service benefits, such as post-retirement career options within the organization and/or assistance in relocating to one’s home country.
What aircraft do EY pilots fly?
Etihad operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing narrow and wide bodies. Their full fleet is the following.
- Airbus A320-200 – 14
- Airbus A320neo – 1
- Airbus A321-200 – 9
- Airbus A321neo – 6
- Airbus A350-1000 – 5
- Airbus A380-800 – 5
- Boeing 777-300ER – 9
- Boeing 787-9 – 33
- Boeing 787-10 – 10
Etihad has the following airplanes on order:
- Airbus A321LR – 20
- Airbus A350-1000 – 15
- Boeing 787-9 – 8
- Boeing 787-10 – 20
Is Etihad Airways currently hiring pilots?
Etihad Airways is employing pilots from all over the world. They are seeking first officers as well as captains for their Airbus A320 family, Airbus A350 and Airbus A380 aircraft, and Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft.
They recently started allowing pilots to fly the A350/A380 interchangeably, and likewise for the B777/B787.
How to become an Etihad pilot?
Etihad has the following expectations from its first officers:
- A minimum of 2500 hours total flying time.
- A minimum of 1500 hours on multi-crew, glass cockpit (1), or high-performance military jet.
- 500 hours should be on B777/B787, A350/A380 or Airbus A320 family.
- ICAO current and unrestricted ATPL. We do not accept Frozen ATPL unless held by a UAE citizen.
- Current on B777/B787, A350/A380 or Airbus A320 family.
- Unrestricted, current Class 1 medical.
- The maximum age limit is 50 years old.
- English Language Fluency (written and verbal) Level 4 or better.
Etihad has the following expectations from its captains:
- A minimum of 7000 hours total flying time.
- A minimum of 2500 PIC hours on multi-crew, glass cockpit (1) jet aircraft.
- A minimum of 2000 PIC hours on any Airbus A320 family, Airbus wide-body FBW, or Boeing 777/787.
- Type rating on any Airbus FBW/Boeing family aircraft should be valid for a minimum of 2 months at the time of joining.
- Unrestricted and current ICAO ATPL.
- Flown any Airbus FBW/Boeing family aircraft within the last 12 months.
- Unrestricted and current Class 1 medical.
- Must not have attained the age of 59 years old upon the date of joining.
- Current TRE/TRI is an advantage.
- English Language Fluency ( written and verbal ) Level 4 or better.
Etihad follows the following four-step hiring process:
- APPLICATION – The application is assessed to determine whether the pilot aligns with the job requirements and Etihad Airways values. A series of questions might also be needed to complete the first step of the recruitment process.
- SCREENING – A phone call or video interview will be held with the candidate once applications have been received. Their knowledge regarding the industry and the role will be assessed to determine if they are fit to move to the next round.
- ASSESSMENT – A pilot’s technical skills are assessed alongside having a simulator exam at the Etihad facilities in Abu Dhabi. English language tests and competency interviews might also be carried out if the airline deems them to be needful.
- OFFER – An offer is made to the successful candidates. Thereafter, background checks, criminal checks, and medical exams are conducted before the pilot begins his journey with EY.
Etihad Cadet Program
Etihad Airways also has its cadet pilot program which intends to nourish local pilots from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). An aspirant needs to be aged between 18 and 29 to be eligible.
The following are the academic and characteristic requirements:
- A passion for aviation.
- A strong command of written and spoken English.
- A high school diploma or higher with a minimum overall score of 80%.
- A minimum IELTS score of 5.5 or TOEFL of 510.
- Completed or exempt from UAE National Service before the start date of the program.
This is a 14-month program held in Abu Dhabi and in Spain to turn students into pilots for Etihad. The four-step process followed in this education scheme is as follows:
- Theoretical training in UAE for eight months.
- Single-engine, multi-engine, and simulator training in Spain for six months.
- Advanced multi-crew and IFR training in UAE.
- Introduction to airliners, type-rating on Airbus A320 family/Boeing 787, and promotion to second officer at Etihad with a starting salary of AED 24,000 (approx. $6,500) per month or $78,000 yearly.
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