LONDON, United Kingdom — Ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air is gearing up for one of the biggest cockpit recruitment drives in Europe, promising to train 1,200 new pilots by 2028 and, in the process, expand both its route map and aircraft fleet.
What the Pilot Push Means for Passengers
For travelers, more pilots generally translate into more flights, new destinations and greater schedule reliability. Wizz Air already connects London, Manchester and other U.K. airports with budget-friendly routes to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. By adding 1,200 pilots—240 of them expected to come from the United Kingdom—the airline is signaling that it intends to grow heavily from its British bases in London Luton, London Gatwick and Doncaster Sheffield, while also entering new markets such as Ireland.
Timeline and Training Details
• Application period: Open now, according to a press release by the airline.
• Selection process: Roughly six months from application to acceptance.
• Training duration: Two years of classroom study, simulator sessions and supervised flying.
• Job start: Graduates will enter the cockpit as first officers across Wizz Air’s European network between now and 2028. The carrier currently employs 2,800 pilots, including more than 250 based in the United Kingdom. The new target would boost its total flight-deck team by more than 40 percent.
Fleet Growth: Toward 500 Aircraft by 2030
Pilot seats alone do not get planes off the ground—Wizz Air also confirmed plans to swell its fleet to 500 aircraft by 2030. Today the airline operates a mix of Airbus A320-family jets with an average age of under five years. Scaling up to 500 frames would place Wizz Air among Europe’s largest fleets, rivaling well-known giants such as Lufthansa Group and Ryanair.
Why Travelers Should Care
1. Route Diversity: A bigger fleet provides the capacity to add secondary airports and underserved city pairs, potentially reducing your need to connect through major hubs.
2. Fare Pressure: More aircraft and seats in the market often force competing airlines to keep ticket prices low.
3. Schedule Resilience: With additional pilots and planes, the airline could recover faster from weather disruptions or air-traffic-control delays.
Who Can Apply?
Wizz Air is marketing its program aggressively to career-changers, not just aviation students. Applicants must meet European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) medical standards, pass aptitude and English-language tests, and be ready for an intensive two-year commitment. The company says it will extend its recruitment campaign into Ireland for the first time.
Quote of Note
“Our commitment to training 1,200 new pilots, within the Wizz Air Group, by 2028 represents a major investment in the future of aviation and the UK’s economic landscape,” Captain Phil Cullen said in a prepared statement.
Punctuality Challenges Across the Industry
While Wizz Air is focused on expansion, the broader European sector continues to battle on-time-performance issues. A recent data dive by consumer watchdog Which? found that British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Tui and Wizz Air all performed worse in the 12 months to the end of April than they did in 2019, the last pre-pandemic benchmark year. Tui ranked lowest, with only 59.2 percent of its U.K. departures pushing back within 15 minutes of schedule during the 2024/25 period, down from 67.2 percent in 2019. Airlines blamed air-traffic-control staffing shortages and strike actions for the slips.
Tips for Travelers
- Monitor Training Milestones: Wizz Air typically opens promotional fare sales when it receives new aircraft. Keep an eye on press releases and social feeds around delivery months for deals.
- Be Flexible: Until staffing levels catch up to growth, last-minute schedule tweaks remain possible. Opt for travel insurance and choose longer layovers if you must connect.
- Check Base Airports: As Wizz Air recruits in Ireland and grows in the U.K., it may shift capacity among bases. Verify departure airports carefully when booking.
FAQ
Will pilot recruitment improve punctuality right away?
Not immediately. Trainees need two years before entering service, so the largest punctuality gains may arrive closer to 2027 and 2028.
How does the selection process work?
Applicants complete online assessments, psychometric testing, panel interviews and simulator evaluations over about six months.
Where will pilots train?
Training centers are located across Europe; specific locations were not disclosed. [Not specified in release]
Do trainees pay for their own training?
The airline did not outline financial arrangements in this announcement. [Not specified in release]
The Bottom Line for Jet-Setters
If Wizz Air meets its target of 1,200 newly trained pilots by 2028 and fields a 500-strong fleet by 2030, travelers could enjoy a wider selection of low-fare routes from the United Kingdom, Ireland and across Europe—along with fresher planes and more frequent departures. Keep tabs on this recruitment wave; the pay-off may be a cheaper, more convenient seat on your next city-break flight. — Source: Wizz Air press release
