News Desk
ABU DHABI: This Emirati Women’s Day, Etihad Airways shared a heart-warming video to mark the occasion and celebrate the success of almost 700 Emirati women employed by the UAE’s national airline. Emirati Women’s Day is celebrated on the 28 August every year to reinforce the important role Emirati women play in society.
In the video, three young Emiratis, Shrina aged 10, Hind aged 7 and Khalifa aged 6, engage in inspiring conversations with First Officer Muneera Al Kaabi, Lead Aircraft Engineer Ayesha Al Zaabi and Aircraft Dispatcher Noura Haqi Abdulzahra, exploring their roles at the airline and their aspirations to join the aviation industry. Shrina asks First Officer Muneera Al Kaabi, ‘If I want to become a pilot, what is your advice?’. The Etihad pilot reassures her to ‘Trust in yourself and your ambitions, and I am sure that you will become a pilot in the future.’
Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer at Etihad, said: “Growing and nurturing Emirati talent has always been a priority for Etihad, and on this special Emirati Women’s Day we celebrate the talents and contribution they bring to our airline. We are proud to share in their successes and achievements as they continue to push the boundaries of our industry.
“One year ago, we celebrated Captain Aisha Al Mansoori becoming the first female Emirati to reach the rank of Captain in a commercial airline, having joined us in 2007 as a Cadet officer as part of Etihad’s extensive programme of training Emirati nationals to become pilots. Captain Al Mansoori is one of almost 400 Emiratis flying for Etihad. She’s a trailblazer, paving the way for her colleagues to follow in her footsteps and since then, Emirati females have progressed from cadets to Second Officers and continue to grow through the ranks.”
Emirati women make up exactly half of all Emirati employees at the UAE’s national airline, Etihad. They perform diverse roles from chiefs to cadets, including pilots, engineers, mechanics, and technicians, as well as working in the healthcare, finance, legal, commercial and marketing teams.
