Dubai’s Emirates airline will hold pilot recruitment drive in South Africa, Bahrain and Singapore this month.

The airline operates one of the largest fleets in the industry with 259 aircraft, comprising Airbus A380 and Boeing 777.

With more than 200 aircraft on order, it aims to extend its network, which already stands at 155 destinations in 83 countries and six continents.

At present, it has more than 4,000 pilots from about 100 nationalities.

“Emirates regularly holds information roadshows globally to recruit pilots to meet our growing operational requirements,” a company spokesperson told Arabian Business.

According to the airline, captains of A380 and B777 are offered a total monthly tax-free salary of $16,013 (AED58,770). This includes $11,633 (AED42,695) a month basic salary plus average flying pay, and $4,380 (AED16,075) a month housing allowance, or company provided housing.

Captains are given 42 day annual leave, global primary and secondary education allowance, life and accident insurance, medical and dental coverage and loss of license insurance.

Upon leaving the company, they are entitled to an end of service gratuity (for an employment period of less than 5 years) or provident fund payment - a long-term savings plan in which the employee contributes five percent of basic salary whilst the company contributes 12 percent (paid out after five years of service).