Etihad Airways said Captain Huda Al Musallami has become the first Emirati woman to qualify as a training captain in the UAE, a milestone the airline said coincided with Emirati Women's Day celebrations.

The achievement makes her the first Emirati woman entrusted with training and qualifying pilots to the airline's safety and professional standards, according to Etihad.

Captain Huda joined the aviation industry in 2003 and Etihad in 2014, rising from first officer to captain in 2023 before qualifying as a Type Rating Instructor this year. She holds a current type rating on the Boeing 787 and has logged more than 10,000 flying hours, having previously flown the Airbus A330, A340 and Boeing 777. She also holds a bachelor's degree in aviation management and a master's degree in business management and information systems, the airline said.

In her new role, Captain Huda trains and qualifies pilots of different nationalities and experience levels, a responsibility she has described as both a professional and a national duty.

Captain Huda said being first meant moving forward without an existing path to follow, adding that the goal was to ensure she would not be the last, and to open the way for more Emirati women in aviation.

Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief People, Government and Corporate Affairs Officer of Etihad Airways, said the milestone reflected what becomes possible when talent, determination and opportunity come together, and that Captain Huda's new role would help prepare the pilots who define the industry's future.

Etihad said Emirati women currently make up 75 percent of all UAE nationals in the airline's workforce, spanning roles from the flight deck to the boardroom.

Source: PR