Budget carrier Wizz Air is hiring. The airline announced Wednesday that it is launching a recruitment drive for cabin crew for its bases in the UK, including its latest in Cardiff, which is set to open in July. Wizz said it is preparing for an operational ramp-up and seeking candidates dedicated to providing a high-quality customer experience.
Preparation for the lifting of restrictions
In one of the more uplifting pieces of news for the UK aviation industry over the past year, industrious low-cost carrier Wizz has announced it is launching a cabin crew recruitment drive across the country.
The airline is looking to further staff its bases, including those at London Luton, London Gatwick, Doncaster Sheffield, and Cardiff ahead of the summer season and the proper rebound of international travel.
“Wizz Air is planning for an operational ramp up this summer as and when travel restrictions allow, and as part of that preparation is looking to grow its highly experienced and friendly Wizz Air UK cabin crew team. Wizz Air is known for its excellent standard of on-board service and is seeking candidates who share the airline’s dedication to providing a high-quality customer experience,” the airline said in a statement announcing the hiring drive.
Wizz Air UK operates a fleet of 14 Airbus A320 family aircraft. Beyond the above-mentioned bases, Wizz also flies to seven other destinations in the UK: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and London Southend.
Wizz continues to march ahead
While much of the summer season remains uncertain for UK airlines due to the thus-far fickle nature of the government’s traffic light travel system, Wizz has not been one from shying away from expansion just because of an ongoing pandemic. Since March 2020, the Hungarian budget airline has added 17 new bases, two of those in the UK, namely Gatwick and Doncaster Sheffield.
Wizz has also launched over 300 new routes. The gung ho attitude seems to have paid off. The airline concluded the year ending on March 31st, 2021, with a cash balance 8% larger than on the same date the year before, no small feat during the crisis that has brought an entire industry to its knees.
Controversial redundancy proceedings
Meanwhile, the cost-cutting, which included laying off close to 20% of its staff a little over a year ago, has not been without controversy. In early April this year, the company revealed that its Head of Flight Operations had resigned following a leaked audio recording of an internal call. On the tape, senior management could be heard discussing staff redundancies in terms of getting rid of the ‘bad apples’.
Furthermore, the direction being expressed was that the airline should keep cheap temporary contract pilots hired via a Dutch outsourcing firm, and let go of its own, more expensive pilots.
“They’re easy to manage because we can let them go at any time. They only have 24 days of (leave), and they’re incredibly cheap. Sharpen your pencils and let’s see what you can come up with,” the unidentified manager said at the time.
Wizz Air stated that the language used on the call did not reflect the process.