In a surprise move, Qatar Airways has reopened new hire cabin crew recruitment as the Doha-based airline rebuilds its route network and schedule. It is believed to be the first major long-haul carrier to restart cabin crew recruitment following the devastating effects that the pandemic wreaked upon the international airline industry.
In June, the airline invited cabin crew who had been laid off during the pandemic to apply for their jobs back but it would appear that Qatar Airways needs even more new joiners to bolster its flight attendant workforce.
“As the market conditions are improving and our network is growing, we are now looking to grow our Cabin Crew team, Qatar Airways’ Ambassadors to the world,” a job ad on Qatar Airways’ official recruitment website reads.
“We are in search of highly motivated individuals who can deliver our legendary hospitality and world-class service. With industry-leading benefits and unparalleled training programs, you will support the Customer Experience division by creating memorable experiences for our passengers onboard,” the ad continues.
Before the pandemic, Qatar Airways used to hold Open Day’s in cities around the world but COVID-19 is still having an effect on everyday life so candidates will need to submit an online application on the career’s website. Candidates will only have until August 15 to submit their applications.
Qatar Airways laid off around 20 per cent of its entire worldwide workforce last year including a “substantial” number of pilots and cabin crew. The airline’s chief executive Akbar Al Baker defended the mass redundancies, saying the number of job losses had been “significantly less than many of our competing airlines during this time.”
Veteran cabin crew with more than 15-years of service at the airline were disproportionately selected for redundancy leading to criticism of ageism because the more experienced crew members were at least 35 or older.
In March, Qatar Airways began inviting some crew members back who had been locked out of Qatar when immigration officials imposed tough border restrictions that prevented foreign expat visa holders from returning to the small Persian Gulf country.
