CAIRO: The first two Egyptair flights, bound for Abu Dhabi and Kuwait,
staffed purely by women have taken to the skies, with a total of 12 female pilots and co-
pilots working on different types of aircraft. The flights left at the same time from the
Cairo airport on today, March 29.
The airline made the move in celebration of International Women’s Day recently, as the
government announced 2017 would be “the year of Egyptian women”, according to its
website.
“Women are the main nerve in the process of economic development that is taking
place in Egypt now,” it read.
Per the Independent, Egypt’s minister of Civil Aviation Sherif Fathi said his ministry
considered working women invaluable members of the civil aviation sectors.
Meanwhile, Egyptair Airlines chief executive, Captain Sherif Ezzat, said, “It is time to
promote women’s empowerment and encourage more Egyptian women to pursue
aviation careers. Today is going to be very inspiring for all the women all over the world,
aviation women and particularly the Egyptian woman.”
The airline follows in the footsteps of other airlines pushing an all-female crew in a
sector still predominantly occupied by men.
just one flight in 300 or so flying in and out of the UK is piloted by women, while 17 of
these planes have one male and one female pilot and the remaining 282 are two-men
on the flight deck.
