Etihad Airways recruits 40 Alitalia captains, officers

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the U.A.E., has announced the recruitment of 40 fully-qualified pilots from Alitalia, the national airline of Italy, as part of a large-scale global campaign to hire 500 to 600 captains and first officers over the next three years.
The new recruits are currently in the process of transferring to Etihad Airways under a three-year contract, with the option of becoming a permanent employee after this period. In total, 38 of the pilots are expected to commence work at Etihad Airways before the end of this year, while the remaining two will join the airline during the first two months of 2015.
Captain Francesco De Liddo and First Officer Paolo Sala became the first two recruits from the group to be welcomed by Etihad Airways this week. Both employees will attend a three-month training programme to change their pilot licences from Airbus A330 and A320 to Boeing 777 aircraft.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said, "Etihad Airways will hire hundreds of pilots over the next three years to keep pace with the rapid expansion of our aircraft fleet and global network. To help achieve our target, we conducted a roadshow in Italy earlier this year to present our airline to Alitalia's pilots, and invited those interested in joining us to attend interviews and assessments in Rome or Abu Dhabi. The successful applicants are fully motivated and excited about the unique career development opportunities ahead, and we are delighted to welcome pilots of their calibre into the Etihad Airways family."
Source: WAM