Etihad Airways has recently celebrated the success of pilot Aisha Al – Mansoori who has become the UAE’s first female captain of a commercial airline. This announcement depicts Etihad’s huge efforts to provide opportunities for women working within the aviation industry.
Only the beginning
Aisha Al – Mansoori’s journey with Etihad Airways began in 2007 as she joined the airways pilot’s program, where she was only one of two females from the UAE. The promising pilot was successful throughout her journey at the school and graduated in 2010 smoothly. This then led to the beginning of her aviation career as Al – Mansoori took charge of her first ever flight on an Airbus A320 to Amman, Jordan. Aisha’s incredible story did not stop there however as the pilot has reached almost 6,000 flying hours, allowing her to progress to a senior first officer position and achieve the milestone of becoming the first woman to fly a superjumbo Airbus A380.
Family Ties
Aisha has revealed that her determination to work in the aviation industry as a pilot stemmed from watching her sister who is Major Mariam Al Mansoori, who received the title of UAE’S first female fighter pilot. It is evident that for both sisters, reaching their goals in the aviation industry is vital.
Earlier this week, to mark her progression, the pilot received four stripes for her uniform to wear as an honour of pride for her new position as captain. Aisha has shared her excitement at receiving such an amazing achievement as well as her development within the airline.
“I am proud to be the first female Emirati to be a captain in a commercial airline, and I hope I will be an inspiration to young women to follow this career path. It is an achievement that I’ve been looking forward to and working hard for since I was a cadet pilot.”
Etihad has since shared its happiness for Aisha and what this achievement means for other females from the UAE with similar ambitions. The chief operating officer of Etihad Mohammed Al Bulooki has stated that he is excited to observe how Aisha’s development in the airline will inspire “young women around the world to follow their dreams”. This is indeed another memorable milestone for women working in aviation and Aisha Al Mansoori certainly deserves all the accolades.
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