Wizz Air, Europe’s most sustainable airline globally, announced last week that it has given 20 cadet pilots conditional offers of employment through the completion of its tagging scheme.

Pilot cadets from two UK flight training academies – Leading Edge Aviation Academy being one of them – were given their conditional offer of employment at a ceremony in London’s West End.

Wizz Air has adopted a “tagging” scheme, which 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 from Wizz Air UK-qualified First Officers for UK trainee pilots. 

Wizz Air is committed to investing in new talent. The tagging scheme will support Wizz Air’s ambitious growth plans as it looks to expand its routes and meet its target of operating 500 aircraft by 2030, connecting people to even more cultures.  

Speaking at the ceremony Wizz Air’s Head of Operations and Accountable Manager, Captain Phil Cullen, remarked:

“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. Wizz Air offers career progression for all pilots to Captain level, so we look forward to seeing these cadet pilots flourish with us.”

Andy McFarlane, CEO of Leading Edge Aviation, stated that:

“Partnering with Wizz Air for this tagging scheme is a fantastic opportunity for our students 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. This ethos perfectly complements the dedication, positivity and integrity of Wizz Air, and we are thrilled to contribute to shaping the aviation leaders of tomorrow.”

The airline recently announced it will be the first ultra low-cost carrier to operate the Airbus A321XLR aircraft, and will be operating from March 2025 connecting London Gatwick to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

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