More women join the civil aviation workforce
More women join the civil aviation workforce
- Mervat Sultan calls upon women to continue the journey together
- Michelle Lee says women are successful in communicating effectively
Women In Aviation Conference confirmed that more women have joined the civil aviation workforce, especially in leadership positions like CEOs, pilots, air traffic controllers, and aircraft engineers, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as the global aviation industry heads toward growth and expansion.
Addressing the conference held along the 23rd edition of Airport Show which concluded day before yesterday, Mervat Sultan, President and Founder, Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter, said: “This conference is unique opportunity for you to engage with industry leaders, learn from their wisdom, and gain a deeper understanding of aviation.”
She called upon women to continue the journey together. “It is important to reflect on the incredible strides we have made in advancing gender equality and empowerment in the aviation sector.
“Over the past decade we have shown the world what women in aviation are capable of achieving. Today, we step into a new era of expertise, where we come together to tackle the challenges facing our industry head on.”
“At the Middle East Chapter of Women in Aviation, our focus is on equipping all professionals in the aviation industry with the necessary skills to navigate future demands.
Participating in a session titled “Crisis Communication in Aviation: Navigating Public Perception in the Digital Age’, Michelle Lee, Vice President for Brand and Communications, Dubai Airports, said: “Women have strong skills and are able to communicate effectively and in concise.
“When women are at the helm of communication in an organisation, especially in the aviation industry, they are successful in communicating effectively, especially during crisis. During the recent crisis in the wake of flooding and disruption in some of the services, the communication team managed the crisis very successfully. We have the best communication team, we could provide 24/7 update round the clock during the crisis through social media and other channels.”
In order to increase their presence in leadership roles in global airlines market, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the 25by2025 initiative in 2019 to increase female representation – in senior aviation roles and in areas where women are traditionally underrepresented – by up to a quarter by 2025.
The following people were given awards during the conference:
Innovation Leader Award in Women in Aviation: Malak Trabelsi Loeb, Founder and President, Vernewell Group;
Women in Aviation Leadership Award: Capt. Aysha Mohammed Al Hamili, Assistant Director General, Air Accident Investigations, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA);
Most Supportive Aviation Company that supports communities and youth in the Middle East:
Boeing. Representative: Kuljit S Ghata-Aura, President, Boeing Middle East Turkiye and Africa.
Most Sustainable Company in Aviation: General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)
Representative: Capt. Aysha Mohammed Al Hamili, Assistant Director General, Air Accident Investigations, GCAA
Best Educational Institution in the Aviation Field Award: T3 Aviation Academy
Representative: Capt Martha Ortiz, First Female pilot to fly a national carrier in the country, T3 Aviation Academy Accompanied by: Sveda Tantan, Flight Dispatch with over 30 years of experience in the field, T3 Aviation Academy
Best Training Institution in the Aviation Field Award: Ansett Aviation Training Dubai
Most Recognised Women in Aviation Award: Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief Human Resources and Asset Management, Etihad Aviation Group
Achiever Award in Women in Aviation: Mishall Ashemimry, Aerospace Engineer and Founder, Mishaal Aerospace.
—Ends—