Ryanair strikes back at Norwegian Air in pilot-poaching battle

Ryanair is looking to poach pilots from Norwegian Air Shuttle as the Irish airline hits back after aircrew defections contributed to its flight-cancellation fiasco. Ryanair has been seeking to bolster pilot ranks after Norwegian Air and Jet2, which operate Boeing 737 planes similar to Ryanair’s, successfully lured away employees. The effort includes sending recruiters to Brazil and the UAE as well as retaliating against rivals with its own poaching. The carrier has added about 830 pilots to its ranks this year, including 210 over the last 3 months. With promises of “at least E25,000” (US$29,600) in higher annual pay, “we are now targeting direct-entry 737 pilots from both these competitor airlines this winter,” Ryanair’s chief people officer Eddie Wilson said in a letter to pilots Thursday. <br/>