Ryanair vs Norwegian Air Shuttle
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at Ryanair (FR) and Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) — covering salary, fleet, requirements, and more.
Airline selection starts with an aptitude battery
It screens you before a human reads your application. Sit a timed practice paper free — scored on pace, which is what actually culls candidates.
Which one fits you
Read from the numbers above rather than from opinion. Where the published data does not settle a question, it is left open instead of guessed.
Different countries, different right to work
Ryanair hires into Ireland and Norwegian Air Shuttle into Norway. Before comparing anything else, check which one you can legally be employed in — residency and licence conversion decide more applications than flying ability does.
Whichever you pick, the gate is the same shape
Both run an aptitude battery before a human reads your CV, then a competency interview scored against the ICAO pilot competencies. We have a full pack for Ryanair, and not for the other one yet.
Knowing what Ryanair pays is the easy part. Getting through their selection is the part that decides whether you ever earn it.
Before a human reads your application there is an aptitude battery, and candidates consistently report it as the heaviest cull — pace, not difficulty. You can practise it here for free: timed papers generated fresh each run, plus a divided-attention drill that measures how much your performance degrades under load. And when you reach the interview, there are 100 Ryanair-specific questions with model answers, the red flags that fail each one, and the follow-ups the panel actually asks.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Requirements Comparison
Ryanair
- EASA frozen ATPL
- Class 1 medical
- Boeing 737 type rating
- EU right to work
Norwegian Air Shuttle
- EASA ATPL
- Class 1 medical
- Boeing 737 type rating
- Scandinavian language preferred
Pros & Cons
Ryanair
Pros
- +Faster career progression
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Higher workload with quick turnarounds
- –Lower starting FO salary compared to US/Gulf carriers
- –Type rating required before application
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Pros
- +Faster career progression
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Higher workload with quick turnarounds
- –Local language proficiency preferred
- –Type rating required before application
About Each Airline
Ryanair
Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers. Single-type Boeing 737 fleet with bases across Europe. Known for rapid career progression.
Full Ryanair career guide →Norwegian Air Shuttle
Scandinavia's largest low-cost carrier, operating short and medium-haul routes across Europe.
Full Norwegian Air Shuttle career guide →Calculate Your Salary
Model your earning potential at Ryanair or Norwegian Air Shuttle based on your experience, ratings, and career stage.
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