Pay & conditions · Europe

Virgin Atlantic: pilot jobs, pay and conditions

United Kingdom · Legacy · VS / VIR

Hiring selectively

Recruits type-rated FO/SFO (Airbus & 787); latest Airbus FO/SFO ad closed 31 Dec 2025. No DEC; Future Flyers cadet scheme periodic.

Pay

First officer
GBP 73,000–93,000 a year
about €88–112k a year
Captain
GBP 115,000–140,000 a year
about €138–168k a year

Editorial estimates of basic (2026); totals with allowances ~£95-130k FO, ~£175-224k CPT. Company says 'market-competitive'.

Open vacancies (1)

First Officer / Senior First Officer - Boeing

B787 · LHR · minimum 1,500 hours · permanent · apply on virgin-atlantic.com

1,500h for FO or 3,000h for SFO on multi-pilot turbojet/turboprop. Board listing came from ZENON; advert confirmed on Virgin Atlantic's own site.

Conditions

Allowances
Flight duty pay, layover per diems; 12-20% trainer uplift.
Roster
4-5 long-haul trips/month; min 10 days off; 750 block h/yr limit; 4 flexible contract options.
Bases
LHR, MAN
Fleet
A330, A330neo, A350, B787
Benefits
Pension 15% employer (6% employee), private medical, loss of licence, staff travel.
Union
BALPA
Careers site
virginatlantic.com ↗

Requirements

First officer
1,500 hours minimum
Type rating
varies
Bond
Future Flyers cadets: £109k deposit, repaid during employment
Licence
Unfrozen UK CAA ATPL with type rating
Other
500h on type; ICAO L6; visa sponsorship for EU nationals

Sources

From published reports in the aviation press · figures from 2026 · checked 27 Oct 2026

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