Sky’s the Limit: Thousands Seek Emirates Cabin Cre

Sky’s the Limit: Thousands Seek Emirates Cabin Crew Jobs

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The allure of life above 10,000 metres shows no sign of abating with Emirates Airline recently enjoying one of its highest turnouts for a cabin crew recruitment day in Europe.

Close to 400 candidates came forward in Madrid for the airline's latest recruitment push in Spain, while around 10,000 applications are received globally each month.

While Madrid provided one of the highest turnouts for an Emirates' recruitment day in Europe, other impressive figures have been posted around the world – 1,200 people turned up in 2006 for a recruitment session in Cairo, 1,000 converged in Fiji in 2008, and it's not uncommon for more than 1,000 hopefuls to arrive at recruitment days in Thailand.

Emirates currently employs 98 Spanish cabin crew and will launch its first passenger flights from Dubai to Spain on August 1, serving Madrid daily with direct connections from its four daily New Zealand services.

Emirates has visited Spain on many previous occasions and recruits throughout Europe and elsewhere around the globe on a regular basis. Nearly 11,000 cabin crew, spanning 128 nationalities including New Zealanders, currently serve the airline. All are based in Dubai.

Kevin Griffiths, Senior Vice President, Cabin Crew, who attended the 30th January recruitment drive in Madrid, said: "It was amazing. We have recruited in Spain before - Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga - but this was a tremendous turnout, and to be honest, I was quite taken aback when hundreds arrived, all wanting to join the Emirates' family."

New Zealander Rick Helliwell, Vice President, Recruitment, said: "With the ongoing expansion of Emirates, our cabin crew recruitment team are conducting an average of 35 selection campaigns all around the globe every month, seeking people who have the confidence to explore the world and their own capabilities. They need to have a true desire to help others and a meticulous approach to service delivery."

Mr Helliwell continued: "Besides good English communication skills, whether it be Madrid, Sao Paulo, Beijing or Nairobi, wherever the selection teams go, we are looking for adaptable, confident and positive people who have the team orientation to work successfully alongside others in a truly international airline."

Of the close to 400 applicants who turned out in Spain, about 30 made it through to a final interview. If successful, the candidates undergo seven weeks of intensive training in Dubai before being officially cleared to fly.

Spanish cabin crew member Regina Valcaneras, who was recruited following a 2005 open day in Barcelona, recalled: "When I got the call inviting me to Dubai for training, I felt the luckiest girl on earth! I've had so many fun and unforgettable experiences working for the airline. When I look back, I wouldn't change anything - they have been the best four years of my life. I adore the lifestyle."

Caption: Spanish cabin crew member Regina Valcaneras pictured during the launch of the Angola route last year.

ENDS

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