Aer Lingus has reopened its pilot recruitment drive and is fully funding training for aspiring pilots.
The airline is set to recruit 90 new pilots over the next five years, with 18 candidates taken on this year alone. The course is fully sponsored by the airline – and with pilot training sometimes reaching into six figures, this is a chance to get your wings without any alarming fees attached.
It’s the first time since 2019 that Aer Lingus has opened its intensive pilot training programme.
The course itself will begin in January 2024 and budding pilots will go through a 14-month training programme in Jerez in Spain, in collaboration with the Spanish flight training school, FTE Jerez. After that, they return to the Aer Lingus’ Training Academy in Dublin to complete their training.
On qualifying, the aspiring pilots will receive a Multi-crew Pilot’s Commercial Licence, leading them to become a First Officer and ultimately a Captain for short and long-haul routes.
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Aer Lingus Chief Executive, Lynne Embleton said: “The Aer Lingus Future Pilot Programme opens a world of opportunity for the next generation of pilots who will join our airline.
“Aer Lingus’ transatlantic expansion and Dublin Hub growth strategy, means there are opportunities for new Aer Lingus trained pilots to join our team of Captains and First Officers who currently fly to over 80 European destinations, and to 14 North American destinations on our long-haul network.
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“Our continued focus on using Ireland’s unique geographic position to connect Europe to North America and vice versa presents immensely exciting careers for those who are passionate about being a pilot.
“We have a rich history at Aer Lingus of training pilots and our new Future Pilot Programme continues in that wonderful tradition, for which we are well known and respected.
“We encourage everyone interested to consider our fully funded future pilot programme and we particularly encourage females to apply as we continue our efforts to close the gender gap in aviation.”
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Aer Lingus’s Chief Instructor, Captain Karl O’Neill, is looking to attract people to Aer Lingus who are highly motivated and passionate about aviation.
He said: “Operating an aircraft requires specific skills and competencies. While pilots are required to be technically adept, many of the required competencies like decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication are readily transferred from other careers.
“We are seeking to attract future pilots with a wide breadth of qualifications from all backgrounds to reflect the rich diversity of our society and economy. We are looking for those with strong people skills, who are pragmatic and committed in their ambition to join our existing team of outstanding pilots.
“Successful candidates will go through one of the most thorough and high-standard training courses in the world with mentoring, guidance, and support throughout.”
You can now catch a direct flight from Manchester to Italy’s ‘best kept secret’ for only £15
Emily Sergeant
Looking for your next holiday destination? Well now you can catch a direct flight from Manchester to Italy’s ‘best kept secret’.
Temperatures have finally been hotting up, and the rain has mostly cleared off across Greater Manchester over this last week or so, but as the sun hasn’t always shown its face, this means many of us will likely be thinking about hopping on a plane to another country where the warmer weather is more of a regular occurrence.
Coincidentally, Manchester Airport has just become the first UK airport to form a direct flight link to the stunning southern Italian region of Calabria.
You can now catch a direct flight from Manchester to Italy’s ‘best kept secret’ / Credit: Unsplash | Wikimedia Commons
If you’re unfamiliar with Calabria, not only is it one of Italy’s most affordable regions to visit, but it also home to some outstanding white sandy beaches, picturesque scenery, culture and architecture, and a truly authentic food scene.
The region is often dubbed one of Italy’s “best kept secrets” by travel writers and tourists.
Having officially taken to the skies at the end of last month (28 April), flights from Manchester Airport to Reggio Calabria are now running exclusively with Ryanair on Wednesdays and Sundays, and you can book your trip now from as little as £14.99 per person one-way.
Calabria is found at ‘toe’ of Italy’s ‘boot’, and the city of Reggio Calabria faces the island of Sicily across Strait of Messina to provide visitors with an ideal base to explore the wider region.
As mentioned, the Calabria region is one of the most affordable parts of Italy to visit, and while it has long been popular with Italian tourists, international visitors are only just beginning to discover this hidden gem.
Manchester Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, Stephen Turner, says the airport is “proud” to connect people in the North with an “outstanding range of destinations”, with over 200 routes served by more than 50 airlines, but he admitted that Ryanair’s new service to Reggio Calabria is “an exciting one”.
Flights are now open to book from as little as £14.99 per person one-way / Credit: Suhyeon Choi (via Unsplash)
“It’s a brand-new destination for us,” Mr Turner explained.
“And it isn’t currently served by any other UK airport either, so it gives our passengers even more choice.
“Visitors travelling to Calabria will love the blend of culture, cuisine and spectacular beaches that it provides, so we’re confident that this new route will be popular with our passengers.”
Entire tram line suspended due to overhead line damage at Old Trafford
Daisy Jackson
Metrolink trams along the Altrincham line have been suspended due to damage to an overhead line near Old Trafford.
The damage, caused by a third party, has caused significant disruption for commuters across the Greater Manchester region this afternoon.
No Metrolink tram services are operating between Altrincham and Piccadilly, in either direction.
Large queues are already forming for buses at Piccadilly Gardens as people attempt to get home.
Engineers have arrived on site to try and fix the issue, but ‘significant disruption’ is expected to continue into the evening.
TfGM and Metrolink have also deployed staff to assist people with their journeys at all stops in the city centre as well as at Old Trafford, Trafford Bar, and Cornbrook.
Trams between Bury and Deansgate-Castlefield are unaffected.
Ticket acceptance is in place on the 245, 255, 256, 263, 281 and 285 bus services and on Northern Rail services between Altrincham and the city centre. Simply show the driver your Metrolink ticket or pass when boarding.
You can plan the rest of your journey online using the TfGM journey planner here.