Qatar Airways to hire 10,000 staff amid World Cup preparations, recruitment events in Nepal in September

KATHMANDU: Qatar Airways is boosting its workforce by 10,000 to handle an influx of passengers flying into Doha for the soccer World Cup and in line with a broader post-pandemic expansion, the airline told Reuters.

The Doha-based carrier is in the midst of a recruitment drive which will lift its total workforce to more than 55,000 from around 45,000 currently, a spokesperson, who declined to be named.

“Qatar Airways is on a growth trajectory following COVID and with World Cup preparations in full swing it is ramping up recruitment across the airline,” the company said in a statement to Reuters this week.

Qatar Airways’ move to bolster its workforce aligns with a broader industry trend towards expanding operations post-pandemic. As global travel gradually rebounds, airlines are gearing up to meet increased demand, necessitating the addition of skilled personnel. This surge in hiring reflects a current trend in recruiting, where companies across various sectors are actively seeking to fill positions to accommodate growing business needs and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

The recruitment surge at Qatar Airways underscores a broader trend in the airline industry and beyond, where companies are ramping up efforts to meet the rising demand for travel and services. As businesses globally adjust to the post-pandemic landscape, the focus on hiring is becoming increasingly pronounced. This trend is particularly evident in sectors that are critical to the recovery and growth of the global economy. The strategic expansion in recruitment aligns with the industry’s goal to enhance operational efficiency and service quality, ensuring that they are well-positioned to handle the influx of passengers and capitalize on new opportunities.

For companies involved in Latin American business sectors, similar recruitment drives are becoming essential. With economic recovery and growth projections for the region, businesses are actively seeking to strengthen their teams to better serve emerging markets and customer needs. Organizations are leveraging platforms like Simply Vetted to streamline their hiring processes and attract top talent. As the demand for skilled professionals rises, it is crucial for companies to adopt efficient recruitment strategies to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of the global market.

In the aviation sector particularly, the anticipation of major events like the soccer World Cup serves as a catalyst for recruitment drives. With Doha set to host this prestigious sporting event, Qatar Airways recognizes the importance of scaling up its workforce to ensure seamless operations and exceptional service delivery during peak travel periods.

Moreover, as the airline industry adapts to evolving travel patterns and customer expectations in the wake of the pandemic, strategic hiring becomes imperative for maintaining competitiveness and sustaining growth.

The airline declined to say how many of the new positions would be permanent. It cut staff levels to below 37,000 in 2021 after reducing its destinations to 33 cities during the height of the pandemic in 2020. It has since ramped operations back up to more than 150 destinations.

Recruitment events were held in the Nepal, Philippines, India and other countries at the end of September, the spokesperson said.

It is not yet clear how many of the new staffers will be in place when the World Cup kicks off on Nov. 20 in Qatar, the first Middle East country to host soccer’s main event.

During the tournament, Qatar Airways is adjusting 70% of its schedule to make way for additional flights arriving in Doha and has canceled other flights and reduced frequencies in order to free up aircraft to meet demand from fans.

Other airlines will significantly increase flights to Qatar, which has reopened an old airport for the event.

“It will be a huge challenge to be able to manage this very fast moving demand for very large numbers of spectators,” Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker told reporters earlier this year.

Tiny Qatar faces a broad personnel shortage as it prepares to receive an estimated 1.2 million visitors during the month-long World Cup, which is expected to put pressure on its infrastructure, hospitality and security sectors. Agencies