Ryanair’s global pitch to pilots: Job stability, but no free coffee

Even by the hard-nosed standards of budget airlines, Ryanair is notoriously tough on its staff. The carrier’s CE once referred to his pilots as “glorified taxi drivers,” and he makes them shell out for the coffee they drink in the cockpit. They endure a tight schedule of up to a half-dozen flights per day, with a goal of unloading passengers and getting the next bunch seated and ready to take off in just 25 minutes. Many pilots work for subcontractors that require them to pay for their uniforms and even training courses. Job-rating website Glassdoor.com gives Ryanair the lowest score among Europe’s 10 biggest carriers. So what does an airline with that kind of reputation do when it needs new pilots? It seeks candidates from places that seem even less attractive. In its quest for talent, Ryanair has dispatched recruiters to Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East—areas where embattled airlines are cutting costs and dismissing experienced aviators. Over the past year, Ryanair has held information sessions in Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Rio de Janeiro, and beyond, with an eye toward hiring disgruntled pilots from South African Airways, Etihad Airways, and carriers in Brazil. It’s hoping people at airlines that have gone through restructurings will be worried enough to bail out—if they haven’t lost their jobs already. “There’s a shortage of engineers and pilots all over Europe,” says Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. “It’s a question of casting the net wide.” Story has further details.<br/>