Since 2022, the airline has hosted recruitment events in 340 cities across six continents
Emirates Airlines says it has now crossed the benchmark of having 20,000 cabin crew members amongst its workforce, which is said to amongst the most diverse in the global aviation industry.
In a press statement the airline says that its cabin crew team recently crossed a milestone and are now 20,000-strong as the airline continues to recruit cabin crew globally to meet its planned growth trajectory. Emirates says that it employs around 800 cabin crew members from India across its network.
Since 2022, the airline has hosted recruitment events in 340 cities across six continents, reflecting the diversity of its cabin crew team and the destinations it serves, adds the press statement.
The airline says that its instantly recognisable cabin crew uniform has undergone four transformations in three decades, including a design by the legendary Spanish designer Paco Rabanne in 1997. The airline says it has consistently kept the iconic beige, and the subtle modern tweaks have stayed true to the elegant and classic style the uniform has echoed over the years.
The airline adds that two cabin crew who have worn most of these uniform variations include the airline’s longest serving cabin crew, a male Emirati purser who joined in 1987, and the longest serving female cabin crew, who joined the airline in 1994.
‘‘I have flown as Emirates’ cabin crew for 36 years on over 3,500 flights. Even now, after all these years, I’m always keen and excited to start my duty onboard. Mentoring my crew colleagues and serving as an ambassador for Emirates and my country is what I am most proud of. I have had a long and successful career, incredible experiences and have made mind-blowing memories doing exactly what I love,’’ says Moosa Mubarak, Emirati Purser and Emirates’ longest serving cabin crew.
The airline says that its cabon crew is a diverse team representing over 140 nationalities with 130 languages spoken. It says that many crew have long been a part of Emirates’ growth story with over 4,000 crew serving between 5–9 years, close to 3,000 serving between 10–14 years, over 1,500 crew serving 15–19 years and some 400 crew members having crossed the milestone of 20 years of service. Three crew members have been with the airline for more than 30 years, says Emirates.
Career progression opportunities for cabin crew include upgrading to a higher cabin, becoming a cabin supervisor, trainer or purser. Today the airline has over 1,100 pursers who have moved through the ranks from junior cabin crew, after successfully completing rigorous training and assessments.
Cabin crew also have access to the latest training programmes, LinkedIn courses and the opportunity to apply for internal vacancies throughout the Emirates Group.
Seeking global talent
Revving up for its next growth phase, the airline will host global recruitment events covering hundreds of cities all year round. The statement adds that Emirates’ cabin crew truly embody a cosmopolitan lifestyle as they’re based in Dubai, a vibrant city home to 200 nationalities, and renowned for its hotels, restaurants, food scene, leisure activities and for being one of the safest cities in the world.
Emirates offers cabin crew a competitive, tax-free salary and flying pay, eligibility for profit share, hotel stay, layover expenses, concessional travel and cargo, annual leave, annual leave ticket, furnished accommodation, transportation to and from work, excellent medical, life and dental insurance coverage, laundry services and other benefits. Emirates cabin crew can also benefit from the airline’s deeply discounted tickets for friends and family. With Dubai’s unique geographical position and the airline’s network of over 130 destinations, creating memories with loved ones is simply a plane ride away.
The airline says that the beige of Emirates’ uniform represents the golden sands of the United Arab Emirates, the cream coloured Emirates scarf with 7 pleats represents the 7 emirates of the UAE and that 1.627 million metres of fabric, 153,000 km of thread and 1.815 million buttons go into making uniforms for 20,000 Emirates cabin crew.
