Emirates is preparing for a significant increase in manpower as it scales up aircraft deliveries and network capacity, with the airline planning to bring in close to 20,000 operational employees by the end of the decade, according to details shared with the media.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion at the carrier’s Dubai headquarters on Wednesday, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer Adel Al Redha outlined how upcoming aircraft arrivals will drive recruitment across multiple departments, Khaleej Times reported.
“We continue to hire to meet our needs as we will receive more aircraft, which will be deployed to new destinations or current routes to increase frequency,” Al Redha said.
The bulk of the hiring will focus on frontline and technical roles, including cabin crew, pilots, engineers, technicians, and airport operations staff. Al Redha clarified that the nearly 20,000 figure refers specifically to operational roles, noting that additional headcount would be required in areas such as information technology and administrative functions.
“This 20,000-figure represents operational staff – cabin crew, pilots, airport staff, and engineering staff. Beyond this, you can add more for IT and administration,” he said.
Emirates draws candidates from both within the UAE and overseas markets and runs in-house training programmes, although Al Redha acknowledged that internal training alone cannot meet the airline’s full staffing requirements.
The airline is also expanding pathways for Emirati nationals through dedicated programmes in engineering, cabin crew, management, and IT. Current training capacity allows for the intake of around 120 UAE nationals annually in cabin crew and engineering roles, with plans to scale up this number over time.
“We have a plan to increase this number in the years to come, while using our training capacity,” Al Redha said.
Addressing concerns about pilot shortages affecting the global aviation sector, Al Redha said Emirates has not faced similar constraints, pointing to Dubai’s attractiveness as a place to live and work.
“I guess we’re lucky to be in the UAE. We’re lucky to be in Dubai, and this city offers a lot for candidates – it offers them security, confidence, a good lifestyle, and living that matches all categories and nationalities from the globe,” he said.
The recruitment push aligns with Emirates’ aircraft delivery timeline, which includes the arrival of 17 A350 aircraft within the current year. Boeing 777X deliveries are expected to begin in 2027, with no Boeing aircraft scheduled for delivery this year, while a separate hiring plan is being considered for a future seat manufacturing facility in Dubai under a proposed joint venture with Safran.
Despite geopolitical tensions prompting some European carriers to cut back services to the Middle East, Al Redha said Emirates continues to operate at full capacity across its network.
“So far, we have seen the demand in our operation as expected and as normal. We haven’t seen any changes to that. We’re operating our schedule at 100% of our published operations using our normal contingency plans without any disruption,” he said.
