Although aircraft pilots are used to mainly operating at high altitudes, British Airways is currently looking for pilots who prefer to stay on the ground. In order to facilitate its expansion at one of the world’s busiest airports, the carrier is hiring taxi pilots at Chicago O’Hare, with a base salary of $90,000 to $100,000 per year.
British Airways has published an unusual job offer concerning taxi pilots who would be based in Chicago O’Hare, one of the world’s busiest airports, with over 70 million annual passengers. While at most airports, taxiing is done by the regular flight pilot, Chicago O’Hare comes with a very specific list of taxi obstacles for British Airways.
One of the major reasons why British Airways is looking for dedicated taxi personnel at Chicago O’Hare is, without a doubt, the fact that arrivals and departures take place at two different terminals. While the carrier’s flights arrive at Terminal 5, home to the airport’s Customs and Border Patrol, departing flights leave from Terminal 3 following the Atlantic Joint Business Agreement with American Airlines.
Secondly, pushback tug vehicles are not a common sight at Chicago O’Hare. Airplanes thus use their own engines to get from one terminal to the other, yet with aircraft as large as the Boeing 777 and 787 used by British Airways, this is no easy task. Moreover, fuel consumption can run high, even while taxiing, and especially given the current fuel crisis, efficiency is therefore key.
Last but not least, for its transatlantic flights to Chicago O’Hare, British Airways is often faced with a legal problem. Given the duration of the journey, the flight crew often spent nearly 12 hours on duty upon arrival. Especially when a flight is delayed, having to taxi between terminals could mean that the flight crew has to surpass the legal working time limit.
World's BEST-PAID valet job up for grabs! If you've got what it takes to move a Boeing 777 or Boeing 787 from @fly2ohare T5 to T3 every day, our friends @british_airways are hiring and you could be looking at a $100k salary! Apply via: https://t.co/iJFBb8EzuM pic.twitter.com/srNmT3AFhJ
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) May 4, 2026
The offer
Those who want to apply for the position will have to fulfil a list of requirements. Candidates must be in the possession of a valid Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate or equivalent and should have experience handling Boeing 777 or 787 aircraft or similar long-haul planes. Aside from the salary, the shift-based role also includes a number of employment benefits.
“Currently, British Airways has an exciting opportunity open for ground taxi pilots. This position will be based in Chicago (ORD). The base salary range for this position is $90,000 – $100,000 per year, depending on experience, skills, qualifications, and location. This range represents our good faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting,” the job description explains.
On 16 March 2026, British Airways announced it would be expanding its long-haul route network by 9% by the winter of 2026. That expansion includes an increased service from its key U.S. destinations – including Baltimore, Houston, and New Orleans – as well as two new long-haul destinations alongside additional flights from several U.S. cities.
