In a first, Female-Only Crew Operates Aircraft in Saudi Arabia

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 24 May 2022

The impacts of the winds of change in Saudi Arabia are now obvious in the society, and they are not confined to only expanding markets for international trade. In a world first, a flight in Saudi Arabia was operated entirely by women.

Saudi Arabia's first such aeroplane took off last week, officials reported, completing a short domestic route and marking a significant step forward for women's empowerment. Flyadeal Airlines, a budget subsidiary of Saudia, the Saudi Arabian national carrier, operated the route.

"For the first time in Saudi aviation history, #flyadeal operated the first flight with an all-female crew, most of whom were Saudis, by the latest A320 aircraft. Flight 117 took off from Riyadh and flew to Jeddah," the airline tweeted.

The majority of the seven-member crew, according to airline spokesman Imad Iskandarani, were Saudi Arabians, including Yara Jan, who is apparently the youngest Saudi female pilot.

The country's civil aviation authority, which validated the declaration, has worked for years to boost women's involvement in the industry.

According to data released last year, women's participation in the state workforce increased to 33% by the end of 2020, up from 19% in 2016. By 2030, Saudi Arabia wants to invest 356 billion riyals ($95 billion) on its aviation sector.

Saudi Arabia's national aviation sector is working to expand Saudi Arabia's connection to 250 locations.

The objectives include tripling annual traffic to 330 million passengers by the end of the decade, luring $100 billion in investment to the region by 2030, establishing a new national flag carrier, and expanding Riyadh's airport.