Aeros Flight Training has unveiled a new initiative designed to strengthen the pathway from flight training to airline employment, announcing the launch of its bespoke “Airline Tagging” programme in collaboration with Wizz Air.
The initiative aims to better connect aspiring pilots with airline recruitment opportunities by taking a more holistic approach to student assessment, moving beyond traditional measures focused solely on technical performance.
Developed as part of Aeros’ wider commitment to supporting students beyond their initial training, Airline Tagging combines training data with the professional behaviours, attitudes and competencies that airlines increasingly value throughout the recruitment process. The approach is intended to provide a more rounded view of a candidate’s suitability for a future airline role.
At the heart of the programme is a bespoke matching framework, developed by Aeros, which enables its Graduate Services team to identify students whose overall profile aligns with Wizz Air’s recruitment criteria. Rather than relying purely on examination results or licence completion, the system evaluates a broader spectrum of attributes, including professionalism, resilience and personal development.
Students identified through the scheme can then be presented to Wizz Air for consideration, although the airline will continue to carry out its own recruitment, interview and assessment processes independently.
Neil Doherty, Chief Operating Officer at Aeros, said the initiative reflects a long-standing belief that pilot development extends well beyond passing exams.
“At Aeros, we’ve always believed our responsibility doesn’t end when a student earns their licence. Our role is to help develop confident, professional pilots who are ready to succeed throughout their careers. Airline Tagging is another example of how we’re investing in our students’ futures. By working closely with Wizz Air, we’re able to better understand the qualities they value and use that insight to support and identify students whose overall development aligns with those expectations. It’s a more meaningful way of connecting talented pilots with exciting career opportunities.”
Zak Brown, CTKI at Aeros Flight Training and the architect behind the system, added that the programme is designed to better reflect how airlines assess candidates in reality.
“We wanted to create something that reflects how airlines actually recruit pilots. Technical performance is only part of the picture. Our bespoke system allows us to build a much richer understanding of every student’s journey. Alongside training progress, we’re able to monitor professional competencies, behaviours, attitudes and development over time, enabling us to identify candidates whose overall profile aligns with an individual airline’s recruitment requirements. This isn’t about guaranteeing employment; it’s about providing airlines with greater confidence that the candidates we recommend have demonstrated the qualities they’re looking for throughout their training, not simply on the day of an interview.”
The first successful candidates identified through the programme are expected to be announced this week, with further assessment dates already scheduled for the autumn of 2026.
The introduction of Airline Tagging marks a further expansion of Aeros’ Graduate Services offering, reinforcing its focus on supporting students from their first lesson through to the start of their professional airline careers, while also strengthening links between flight training providers and airline recruiters.