Emirates welcomes Indian cabin crew

NEW DELHI: Contrary to the job cuts initiated by Indian air carriers, Dubai-based international airline Emirates today said it would hire more staff and would be happy to recruit more Indians as cabin crew in its international operations.

"There would be no job cuts. In fact we are looking for more staff. We will be happy to recruit more Indians as cabin crew," Emirates Airline Vice-President (India and Nepal) Orhan Abbas told reporters here.

The carrier has 10,000 cabin crew in its global operations out of which 8-10 per cent are Indians. "Indians are very educated, intelligent and hardworking. We are looking forward to taking more Indians in our expansion plans," he said.
Abbas, however, refused to comment on Indian air carriers' initiative to reduce their headcount due to ever increasing expenses especially in aviation fuel.

"The global financial crisis has affected everyone, Emirates, too. But we are taking measures to face it," he said without elaborating further. Admitting the fact that high fuel price was affecting the aviation industry globally, Abbas said, Emirates, despite being promoted by an oil rich country, was not getting any fuel subsidy from its government.