Jetstar looks to hire 140 new pilots by year's end

Jetstar is set to hire more than 140 new pilots this year in a major recruitment drive. The low-cost carrier is undergoing what it says is one of its biggest-ever pilot intakes, which will support new routes including Sydney to Rarotonga, Brisbane to Seoul and Melbourne to Fiji, as well as its push to improve reliability. It is part of Qantas Group’s plan to bring in 8500 new operational roles over the next 10 years, and comes amid an ongoing talent shortage in the industry. “As we approach 20 years of Jetstar, it’s an exciting time to be joining our airline and the industry, and it’s fantastic to see so many new team members coming on board this year,” said Jetstar’s Chief Pilot & Head of Flight Operations, Captain Jeremy Schmidt. “With our ninth state-of-the art A321neo LR about to arrive and nine more of the aircraft expected before the end of 2024, we need more pilots to support our growing fleet and network. The new NEOs have allowed us to increase the number of services we put on existing routes including between Brisbane, Adelaide and Bali and also allows us to redeploy our Boeing 787 fleet onto exciting new routes like Brisbane to Seoul.” The pilot recruitment drive accompanies a larger hiring blitz for Jetstar cabin crew, with the airline looking to employ up to an additional 700 cabin staff by year’s end.<br/>