The Crew Planner is responsible for the end-to-end planning, rostering, and allocation of flight duties, training activities, and annual leave for a pilot workforce of approximately 50 Captains and First Officers. This role covers both Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling, and is critical in ensuring operational continuity, cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, and crew wellbeing in a dynamic cargo aviation environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain short-, medium-, and long-term crew plans aligned with operational requirements and flight schedules.

• Conduct manpower forecasting to ensure sufficient pilot coverage and proactively address shortages or surpluses.

• Plan and manage annual and ad hoc leave schedules, balancing operational coverage with crew welfare.

• Allocate simulator training, line checks, and recurrent requirements in compliance with regulatory and company standards.

• Design and optimize crew pairings to maximize productivity and minimize operational costs while adhering to duty limitations.

• Prepare seasonal crew plans to support fluctuating cargo demand and network changes.

• Coordinate crew repositioning and manage layover planning to ensure seamless crew movement and operational readiness.

• Produce reports related to crew allowances, ensuring accuracy and alignment with payroll and policy.

• Manage and implement last-minute crew changes driven by operational disruptions, customer requirements, or unforeseen circumstances.

• Monitor daily operations, resolving disruptions such as delays, sickness, or operational constraints in real time.

• Ensure full compliance with UAE GCAA regulations, company policies, and fatigue risk management requirements.

• Maintain accurate records within the crew management system and generate operational reports to support decision-making.

• Act as the key point of contact for pilots on rostering, ensuring clear, professional, and timely communication.

Key Requirements:

• Proven experience in crew planning, scheduling, or airline operations.

• Strong understanding of flight time limitation regulations and rostering best practices.

• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to forecast and optimize manpower resources.

• Proficiency in crew planning systems (ideally WinOps) and strong Excel capabilities.

• Ability to work independently with sound judgment and strong problem-solving skills.

• Excellent organizational and communication skills in a fast-paced operational environment.

• Excellent communication skills

Key Competencies:

• Attention to detail and accuracy

• Proactive planning and adaptability

• Strong decision-making under pressure

• Stakeholder collaboration

• Continuous improvement mindset

Additional Requirement:
The nature of this role requires a high degree of flexibility, including availability to be on call to manage operational disruptions and urgent crew-related matters outside standard working hours.

Join a leading cargo airline and play a key role in keeping our operations running smoothly. As a Crew Planner, you’ll help shape rosters, training plans, and leave schedules for a dynamic pilot workforce of approximately 50 Captains and First Officers—making a direct impact on operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and crew wellbeing.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your expertise in end-to-end crew planning, work in a fast-paced environment, and contribute to continuous improvement at the heart of our day-to-day aviation operations.

What you can expect:

• A role with meaningful responsibility and real influence over scheduling decisions

• Collaboration with operational teams and clear communication with pilots

• Supportive, safety-first working practices with a strong focus on fatigue risk management

• Opportunities to grow through exposure to short-, medium-, and long-term planning, training allocation, and seasonal network changes

Career growth:

Bring your planning and analytical skills and further strengthen your career in airline crew management. Your work will help ensure reliable operations, accurate reporting, and well-managed crew transitions—while supporting a professional and respectful experience for our pilots.