Gulf carriers, including Qatar Airways, are making the most of the shake-up in the aviation industry in Europe and North America, which is allowing for relatively easy recruitment of pilots. Qatar Airways is always on the lookout for flight crew, with the airline growing at an annual rate of 35 percent. The airline has cast its recruiting net into North and South America, with the result that several pilots from places like the US and Brazil have signed on. In a recent interview to The Peninsula, George Cooper, CEO of Kuwait-based Wataniya Airways, said: "We think that due to the effects of the ‘credit crunch’ elsewhere in the world, the (pilot) supply shortage is easing. Many airlines in the US and Europe are downsizing this winter. This is releasing pilots to the Middle East." Qatar Airways is growing in terms of passenger traffic as well as expanding its route network and adding to its fleet. While the Boeing 777s have started coming in, the airline is still awaiting delivery of Airbus A321s, A320s, a substantial number of A350XWBs and the Boeing 787 'Dreamliners'. Naturally, such a huge inflow of aircraft will require additional flight crew and the addition of long-haul routes will also mean more pilots are required. In March, management consultancy A T Kearney had deemed the pilot shortage in the GCC to be "serious". Globally, an estimated 200,000 pilots will be needed over the next two decades, many of whom will fill vacancies caused by retirements. Recruitment for GCC countries is expected to rise by a huge 75 percent by 2020, the A T Kearney report said. Last year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had advised the setting up of more training centres for pilots and also increasing the retirement age. Last year, carriers in the Middle East reported an 18.1 percent growth in passenger traffic, leading to predictions it will be the fastest-growing region for some time to come. Carriers in the Gulf are not openly feeling the effects of the crisis in the aviation industry worldwide and have been adding several new routes over the years. Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus are relying on Gulf carriers to fill their order books. Airlines like Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates have duly complied, announcing massive orders for new-generation aircraft at the various air shows held throughout the year. The Pen

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