The airline is looking to take on 100 first officers by next summer as it adds new routes to Tampa in Florida from 3 November, as well as a seasonal winter service to Cape Town, starting on 5 November. The airline has already recruited 45 new pilots since the start of 2022.

Virgin is looking for first officers across both its Airbus and Boeing fleets, with an anticipated 100 extra pilots needed by summer 2023, followed by another 60 by summer 2024 and a further 40 first officers by summer 2025.

The carrier created a “holding pool” of crew members during the pandemic, which it used to welcome back more than 1,000 pilots and cabin crew when capacity was finally restored following the ending of Covid-19 travel restrictions at its key destinations, particularly the US.

Estelle Hollingsworth, chief people officer at Virgin Atlantic, said: “At Virgin Atlantic, our purpose is to inspire everyone to take on the world, championing inclusivity and our challenger spirit. 

“Ensuring our pilot community is made up of diverse backgrounds, remains a core priority for us and we welcome anyone with a genuine passion for aviation to apply for these exciting positions.”

This new round of pilot recruitment follows a drive earlier this year to take on 800 new cabin crew. Virgin said it had received a record number of applications - 10,000 in total - for these cabin crew roles.

Virgin Atlantic has also relaxed its tattoo policy for uniformed staff as part of its “focus on inclusion and individuality”.