Etihad employs 50 female pilots; half of UAE workforce are women

Etihad Airways has marked Emirati Women’s Day by announcing that more than half of the UAE nationals employed by the airline are women, including nearly 50 pilots.

Aisha Al Mansouri recalls being mesmorised by the aerial performances at the Al Ain Air Show in 2007.

Yet today she is one of those pilots, flying the largest passenger jet in the world.

"I fell in love with aviation during the 2007 Al Ain Air Show and joined Etihad the following year as a cadet. After qualifying, I started as a Second Officer on the Airbus A320, and now I’m a First Officer on the A380. I hope to become a Captain so I can train other aviators," said Al Mansouri.

Eleven Emirati women are fully operational as pilots with the airline, while 38 others are navigating their way through cadet pilot training.

Etihad has been holding a series of events to mark the second year of Emirati Women’s Day, a government-led initiative now held annually on August 28 to recognise the role of Emirati women in the development of the UAE.

This year’s theme is Emirati Women and Innovation.

Mona Walid, Vice President, Human Resources for Etihad Airways and Etihad Airways Engineering, noted, "Since Etihad’s launch in 2003, the company has focused on attracting and developing both male and female Emirati talent.

"As we nurture the leaders of the future, we are committed to elevating Emirati women to the forefront of aviation to play their part in the growth of the economy."

Of the more than 3,200 Emiratis employed by the airline, 1,661 are women – or 51 percent. This includes the 137 members of the award winning, all-female Al Ain Contact Centre, reflecting the appeal of Etihad as an employer of Emirati women.

On Sunday and Monday – 28 and 29 August – Etihad is holding networking events where Emirati female employees can discuss their careers with the airline’s most successful female staff.

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