Women In Saudi Arabia Can Now Become Flight Attendants
After opening up positions to female pilots, the aviation industry continues to move in the right direction
Women in Saudi Arabia are taking new heights as of late. Only weeks after the driving ban was lifted in 2018, Saudi’s Oxford Aviation Academy opened up applications for women pilots – and now, domestic airline Flynas is recruiting female flight attendants for the first time. Their first flight with women attendants is set to take off in January 2019 after the first batch of female graduates complete the Saudi flight program.
“The first group graduating from the Saudi flight program is a continuation of programs to localize aviation and empower women,” the company told Saudi Gazette. Not only will the budget airline break boundaries with their diverse hires, they’re also considering the needs of female employees from working hours that factor in family life and uniforms that align with the Kingdom’s customs.
The company intends to hire over 300 men and women over the next two years, with the requirement that applicants be Saudi nationals. The Riyadh-based airline revealed that they also plan to start recruiting Saudi women to work as co-pilots. “The move aims to enable Saudi women to have a greater role in supporting the Kingdom’s economy,” said Bander Al-Mohanna, CEO of Flynas.
With the creation of new jobs for women workers across the Kingdom, according to Arab News it’s predicted that women will make up 28% of the workforce by 2020.