Success-based (contingency) recruitment means you pay only when you actually hire a pilot, with no retainer and no upfront fee. The sourcing risk moves from the airline to the network, which is why carriers and ATOs increasingly use it in 2026 to fill ad-hoc, seasonal and hard-to-source gaps. A retained agency, by contrast, takes a retainer whether or not the search succeeds, then 15 to 25% of first-year salary on placement.
The three models, compared
| Model | When you pay | Typical cost | Who carries the risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retained agency | Retainer upfront, then on placement | Retainer + 15 to 25% of salary | The airline |
| Success-based / contingency | Only when you hire | Lower, outcome-linked | The network |
| Internal / job board | Ongoing (time + ads) | Staff time, slow | The airline |
Why success-based suits 2026 hiring
Pilot demand is still high, but budgets are tighter than at the 2019 peak, and airlines want to avoid paying for a search that never produces a hire. A success-based model ties the cost to the outcome. It also pushes the provider to find pre-vetted candidates quickly, since it only earns on a completed hire.
What to check before choosing a model
- Is the candidate pool verified in advance (licence, medical, English, logbook), or is it a pile of CVs?
- How fast can the provider shortlist: days, or weeks?
- What exactly triggers the fee: the signature, the start date, or the end of probation?
- Is there a replacement guarantee if a hire falls through early?
FAQ
Is success-based cheaper than a retained agency? Usually, because you pay on a completed hire rather than an upfront retainer.
What is the catch? The provider needs a pool that is genuinely vetted in advance. Otherwise "contingency" just means a slower pile of CVs.
See how operators brief a search on the Veejo YouTube channel (opens in a new tab).
How Veejo helps
Veejo Recruitment is success-based by design. Starting a search costs €0 and you pay only when you hire. The shortlist comes from a network of 2,000+ verified pilots whose licence, medical, English rating and logbook are already on file, so it arrives within days. Our full breakdown of what recruitment really costs has the figures.