500 new crew members on board at Eurowings

• Eurowings’ job creation is on schedule
• 500 pilots and cabin crew already hired and assigned to training courses
• Ex-Air Berlin employees: “The switch to Eurowings was worth it”

Eurowings is growing faster than any other airline in Europe, – and with it the number of employees in operational areas. “We have already hired more than 500 pilots and cabin crew at Eurowings and assigned them to training courses,” says Michael Knitter, Eurowings’ Chief Operating Officer. The training courses for crew members have been in full swing since the beginning of October. “This week it’s half-time,” says Knitter. “The training courses will carry on until the end of February and then almost all the crews we need for our planned growth will be ready for action.”

Eurowings Europe flight operations announced 1,000 new jobs for locations in Germany two months ago: 700 for cabin crew and 300 for pilots. Well over 3,000 people have applied for these positions so far. Knitter is not surprised by the interest in positions at Eurowings. “We offer open-ended German employment contracts, a full package of social security benefits, and remuneration and employment conditions applicable on a one-to-one basis as agreed for Eurowings Germany.” He says rumours that Eurowings was offering pilots and cabin crew of Air Berlin 40 percent less pay is “nonsense”. “On average, there is a difference of eight to ten percent, those are the facts.”

The switch to Eurowings is worth it, as confirmed by increasing numbers of former Air Berlin employees. Britta Harder is one of them. The former Air Berlin flight attendant says she was welcomed “with open arms” by Eurowings. In just a few weeks’ time, Harder will take up her duties in scheduled air service with Eurowings for the first time. “I’m looking forward to my first flight, working with new colleagues and finally being back in the air doing what I enjoy.” Harder is critical of the conversations about working conditions at Eurowings. “There were and are many rumours flying around, the office grapevine was working overtime, and it has to be said, there were lots of false statements circulating.” She says that what she has experienced so far has been entirely positive. “In terms of salary, working conditions, colleagues and management, Eurowings is a top employer.”