Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has ‘tagged’ 20 cadet pilots and given them conditional offers of employment.
Pilot cadets from two UK flight training academies – Leading Edge Aviation Academy and L3 Harris – were given their conditional offer of employment at a ceremony in London’s West End.
Wizz Air has adopted a tagging scheme – common among pilot-hungry airlines. It involves reviewing a cadet pilot’s progress during theoretical examinations, followed by a testing and interview process conducted by the airline’s UK pilot recruitment lead.
Once a pilot is tagged, they are given a conditional offer of employment with the airline, subject to the pilot achieving their performance milestones during training. Wizz Air also offers mentoring support.
Wizz Air’s Head of Operations and Accountable Manager, Captain Phil Cullen, said, “By tagging cadets early on in their career, it takes away some of the uncertainty in their search for employment at the end of their flight training.
“These 20 cadets have demonstrated dedication, commitment and great potential. Wizz Air recognises these efforts and we are beyond pleased to offer these talented individuals the opportunity to start their career with us.”
Andy McFarlane, CEO of Leading Edge Aviation, added, “Aligning with Wizz Air for this tagging scheme is a privilege that speaks volumes about our ‘Whole Pilot’ approach.
“At Leading Edge, we do more than teach students to fly. We prepare them with all the skills needed to become successful pilots and future captains.”
Wizz Air recently announced it will be the first ultra low-cost carrier to operate the Airbus A321XLR aircraft. It will be flying from March 2025 connecting London Gatwick to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
