Saudi Arabian airline company and leading low-cost carrier in the Middle East region Flynas launched its first ‘Let's Talk Aviation' meet that was jointly organized with Prince Sultan University. The first meeting, titled ‘Saudi Women in Aviation' took place at the Prince Sultan University Campus. Bandar Al Mohanna, CEO of Flynas, several VIPs from the aviation sector, in addition to academics and representatives from various airline companies in Saudi Arabia attended the meeting. During the meeting, discussions focused on the role of Saudi women within the aviation sector and the potential they can contribute towards developing it through participating in various roles and positions. Al Mohanna announced two new initiatives by the company to empower women in the aviation sector, through enabling them to work in the maintenance department, and allowing married couples to work together within shared roles that suit their work schedules. Flynas' Director of Corporate Communications and official spokesperson Ahmad Almusained welcomed all participants and praised Prince Sultan University for its efforts in supporting this initiative. He highlighted the meeting's objective to create job opportunities for national talents, and in particular Saudi women, which is in-line with Flynas' social responsibility commitment. He stated that Saudi women possess the capabilities to contribute effectively within various roles in the civil aviation sector, and this has inspired the company to adopt this topic as one of the main themes for the ‘Let's Talk Aviation' meetings in 2019. The company has decided to organize such meetings once every 2 to 3 months. Almusained also emphasized Flynas' commitment towards empowering Saudi women through initiatives such as this meeting, which stems from Flynas' belief in Saudi women's capabilities to lead and work in top positions in the aviation sector and all other sectors, and also its dedication to promote national social responsibility and spread awareness on the aviation sector's significance and role in creating jobs and supporting youth. During a panel discussion moderated by media personality Ali Alghofaili, Mashael Muteb, first Saudi female flight attendant to serve at Flynas, commended the company's pioneering move in hiring the first Saudi female flight attendant, and its recent training of the first batch of female flight attendants, which reiterates its commitments towards supporting the nationalization of aviation jobs and empowering women in particular. She added that Saudi women are just as competent as their male counterparts in working as flight attendants and ensuring the safety and comfort of travelers, and that this work upholds Saudi Arabian traditions and values. Raghda Alsulaimani, corporate communications manager and official spokesperson at Nesma Airlines, spoke about her experience serving in the aviation sector after she received an offer to work at Nesma, thanks to her experience as a copywriter specialized in the sector. She stressed on the importance of creating a balance and a culture of equality between men and women in this regard. She also urged all aviation companies to present opportunities to women, and also highlighted the importance of social awareness and the major role women play across all sectors. Fahad Bahdailah, vice president of corporate communications at Saudi Arabian Airlines, pointed out a number of difficulties and challenges faced by the sector's workforce, and stressed on the importance of creating equal opportunities for men and women, and also creating further training options to keep up with global sector developments, as jobs and skills within the sector are continually developing. Nawras Al Khalifah, customer and quality services manager at Flynas, spoke about her experience within the sector, which started in 2008, when she unexpectedly joined the sector after being specialized in another field. Today, and thanks to her long experience covering an array of multiple roles, she was able to form a strong skill set and overcome any challenges faced during the transition. Dr. Rafed Zawawi, chairman of the department of aviation and management at Prince Sultan University, mentioned the high demand for national talent within the aviation sector, and stated that the current rate of women working within the sector is 4%. He also spoke about the challenges the sector must overcome to achieve women empowerment objectives outlined in Vision 2030, and expressed his optimism in accomplishing them thanks to Saudi women's capabilities and supporting global trends. He added that the Saudi market requires specialized aviation colleges and schools, and announced that Prince Sultan University has launched 12 new aviation programs, which were added to tens of existing relevant programs. He also reiterated the importance of this sector in realizing revenues and enhancing a varied and robust Saudi economy. Maha Alyamani, a specialist in risk management, shared her experience as the first Saudi woman to be hired at the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and stated that the sector offers a plethora of jobs suitable for women. She also said that the number of women working in the aviation sector has recently doubled, which presents a positive outlook towards further empowerment for women. She also stressed on the need to follow up on various studies and developments in the sector to keep up with The event also included a Q&A session where audiences complimented Flynas' initiatives in supporting and empowering Saudi women. Al Mohanna later also presented recognition trophies to all speakers, and stressed on the importance of this meeting as valuable opportunity to gather those interested in the aviation sector and to urge national talents to consider careers within it. — SG
