The airline hired 3,200 employees in 2025 and intends to continue recruiting at a steady pace over the next five years.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, plans to sustain large-scale hiring as it grows its fleet, aiming to recruit between 2,500 and 3,000 employees annually over the next five years.
The outlook comes after a year of substantial recruitment in 2025, during which the Abu Dhabi-based carrier added more than 3,200 new employees and promoted about 2,200 staff across the organisation, it said on Tuesday.
Airline CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the company expects to sustain a similar hiring pace in the years ahead.
He said the airline plans to maintain annual hiring of between 2,500 and 3,000 employees while adding around 20 aircraft each year — a pace it expects to sustain over the next five years.
Frontline roles remain a priority
Frontline hiring remained a central focus in 2025, supporting network expansion and fleet growth. Etihad Airways recruited about 1,600 cabin crew and nearly 400 pilots over the year.
At the same time, the airline continued to prioritise internal career progression, promoting around 1,500 cabin crew members and close to 150 pilots, reinforcing leadership depth and operational stability.
The carrier said its workforce now spans 152 nationalities, underscoring the scale of its global operations. It also maintained a strong emphasis on developing UAE national talent through cadet pilot programmes and leadership development initiatives.
Fleet growth to continue
Etihad Airways added 29 aircraft in 2025, taking its total fleet to 127 — the largest in its history. The airline expects to receive about 20 aircraft annually in the coming years as part of its long-term expansion strategy.
Major aircraft orders announced in May and November are set to underpin the next phase of growth, giving the carrier greater flexibility to expand its network and enhance its products and services.
