SAS · Captain / Commandant de bord
A320 Neo Captain - London Heathrow base
SAS Crew Services is recruiting Captains for its A320 Neo fleet based at London Heathrow. The role is part of SAS Connect's growth for the 2026 summer programme, with new European routes. Successful candidates go through a recruitment process with assessments expected in summer 2026.
- Employer
- SAS
- Position
- Captain / Commandant de bord
- Base
- London Heathrow
- Aircraft
- A320 Neo
- Contract
- Temps plein (temps partiel possible)
- Pay (public sources)
- First officer on joining: about DKK 37,900 to 44,300 gross per month (or NOK 40,900 to 47,800, SEK 38,600 to 45,200); captain: scale not published (2026)
- Seen
- 8 October 2026
Key points
- Based at London Heathrow
- A320 Neo fleet
- Fixed 5 on/4 off working pattern
- Full-time contract, part-time also available
- Employment expected from November 2026
- Assessments expected in August and September 2026
What the employer asks for
- EASA ATPL licence
- 4,000+ total flying hours
- Valid A320 type rating (preferable)
- 1,000+ hours as PIC on CS25 aircraft above 30 tonnes MTOW
- EASA Class One medical
- ICAO Level 5 English proficiency
- No incidents or accidents
- Right to live and work in the UK (preferred)
What the employer offers
- Fixed 5 on/4 off working pattern
- 28 days annual leave
- Competitive salary package with allowances for block hours, overnights and other duties
- Loyalty scheme
- Worldwide staff travel benefits after 6 months
- Loss of licence scheme
- Private medical insurance scheme
- Career progression into training roles (TRE/TRO/LTC) with instructor allowances
- UK licence to EASA licence conversion if required
- UK visa sponsorship if required
The selection process
- CV screening
- Online interview with a recruiter
- Online cognitive and personality tests
- Assessment day with simulator session and personal interview
- Final checks including background screening, security interview, right to work check, and drug & alcohol testing
Summary written by ForAllPilots from the employer's posting. Only the official posting counts: check every condition before you apply.
Scandinavian flag carrier
SAS at a glance
Scandinavian airline (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) based in Stockholm, with its three hubs at Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm-Arlanda, a member of SkyTeam since 1 September 2024 and 19.9% owned by the Air France-KLM group.
- Bases
- Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm-Arlanda
- Fleet
- Airbus A319/A320/A320neo/A321LR, A330-300, A350-900; Embraer E195 (SAS Link)
Pilot recruitment
Recruits qualified pilots (first officers and captains), with permanent employment and a seniority-based system according to its careers page. The group operates under three air operator certificates (SAS, SAS Connect, SAS Link) and five bases across Scandinavia and Europe; check open positions and the recruitment process on the careers site.
Pay and conditions, from public sources
Figures published by the airline, pilot unions or the press, each one dated (last update: October 2026). For information only.
- First officer without type rating and under 1,500 hours: DKK 37,915 to 39,863, NOK 40,852 to 42,952 or SEK 38,621 to 40,610 gross per month (careers page viewed October 2026).
- First officer rated on A320 or Embraer 195 with over 1,500 hours: DKK 41,434 to 44,342, NOK 44,653 to 47,782 or SEK 42,219 to 45,175 gross per month; pay and terms are not individually negotiable (October 2026).
- Extras: daily allowance based on duty length and destinations, type rating paid by SAS, pension scheme (no details published) and ID travel (October 2026).
- Rosters: permanent contract with probation, variable roster for all new hires, at least 11 days off per month, roster published on the 16th of the previous month (October 2026).
- Leave: 42 days of annual leave (October 2026).
- Bases and fleet: Copenhagen, Stockholm-Arlanda, Oslo and Bergen; A320 or Embraer 195LR, with possible A330/A350 long-haul flying in a mixed-fleet programme (October 2026).
- Requirements: EASA ATPL, CPL or MPL (converted to a Scandinavian licence before the course), Class 1 medical, MCC, advanced UPRT, ICAO English level 5 or 6, right to work in the EU (October 2026).
- Selection: application, screening (video interview, personality and cognitive tests), online interview, assessment day (group exercise, PF/PM simulator check, interview), then offer or holding pool plus security and drug/alcohol checks (October 2026).
Sources read (3)
The SAS selection, as candidates tell it
What candidates report on forums (Aeronet, Pilot Jobs Network) and what the employer publishes, summarised by ForAllPilots. It is not the official process: it changes from one campaign to the next, always check the posting.
Reliability of the reports : medium
The stages
- Application screening, then a recorded video interview on predefined questions.
- Online interview with a company representative.
- Online cognitive and personality tests.
- Assessment day: group exercise, simulator (often A320, sometimes another type) and interviews with pilots.
- Final checks (security, alcohol and drugs); every stage is eliminatory, a new attempt is possible after 24 months.
The aptitude tests
- Online cognitive tests, which older candidates link to Matrigma-type matrices.
- Personality questionnaire aligned with the company's ‘pilot profile’.
The technical part
- Simulator session of about 30 minutes: raw-data flying and handling, with no engine failure according to one candidate.
- Fairly standard interview: strengths, weaknesses, difference between captain and first officer.
Candidates' tips
- Know the pilot profile competencies published by SAS and prepare an example for each.
- A Scandinavian language is an advantage mentioned by several candidates.
- According to a recently hired first officer (2025), candidates fresh out of flight school are less often selected; a type rating and some hours are valued, as are the school and country of training.
Our exercises to prepare
Give yourself every chance
A captain selection focuses on leadership, decision-making and crew management: prepare real situations, what you decided and why.
Expect an in-depth technical interview and a simulator session: go over abnormal procedures and the performance of your type.
Some airlines give aptitude tests to captains too: a refresher on the arithmetic and attention exercises never hurts.