British Airways (BA), the United Kingdom's national airline, is recruiting experienced wide-body pilots to maneuver aircraft between terminals at Chicago O'Hare airport. The projected annual salary is 100,000 USD. Successful candidates will not need to perform take-offs or landings; their role is simply to position aircraft at their correct parking stands at the airport.

Requirements for this position include experience operating Boeing 777 or 787 aircraft, previous service as a captain or first officer, and a comprehensive understanding of Chicago O'Hare airport procedures.

A BA aircraft. Photo: Euro News

Ben Schlappig, founder of One Mile at a Time, a company providing aviation and travel information, described this role as the "most unique among pilot jobs." This new recruitment by BA has also prompted many to question the necessity of such a position.

The need for this role arises because BA flights land at Terminal 5 at O'Hare airport, but their departures originate from Terminal 3. Therefore, the new job requires experienced pilots to move aircraft between these two terminals.

While this is not an entirely unprecedented role, many consider it quite unusual.

At most airports, ground crews typically use tug vehicles to move aircraft. However, for various reasons, at O'Hare airport, it is more efficient and safer for aircraft to move under their own power on the taxiways, according to Euro News.

Although a salary of 100,000 USD is considered high for many professions, it is relatively low compared to what pilots earn at many airlines in the US. According to data from ATP, a pilot training school in the US, airlines such as American and United offer pilots starting salaries of 117,000 USD per year, which is 17% higher than the salary BA is offering.

An aerial view of Chicago O'Hare international airport. Photo: Airport Tix

"I think if you're recently retired and haven't passed your flight medical for flying, this could be an interesting role," Schlappig suggested.

Currently, BA operates daily direct flights from London Heathrow airport to Chicago. The airline is also seeking to expand its long-haul flights to other US cities and various countries. From late this year, BA plans to increase flights to two other US cities: New Orleans and Houston.

British Airways hopes to expand its international long-haul route network by 9% by the end of the year through increasing flight frequencies. The airline is also adding two new direct flight destinations: Melbourne in Australia and Colombo, Sri Lanka.