Breaking through the glass ceiling into Saudi Arabia’s male dominated aviation sector is first Saudi female commercial airline pilot Hanadi Zakaria Al-Hindi, whose career is really taking off. The 39-year-old received her license in 2014 from the Jeddah-based General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to fly planes in the Kingdom.
Born in the Saudi city of Makkah, Al-Hindi is an employee of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal and flies the private fleet belonging to the Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).
The Saudi pilot grew up with a dream of wanting to try something different and compete with her male counterparts. “It was my father’s dream to see me become a commercial pilot and he was always there to support me,” said Al-Hindi in an interview.
As a child, Al-Hindi always looked up to Palestinian activist Hanan Ashrawi, whom she believes to be very “manly,” powerful and strong. “We grew up knowing that men have the most authority and rights,” she said in an interview. “I didn’t like that idea. I don’t hate men neither do I have a problem with them. But women can be equally stronger.”
Unable to pursue her aviation education in the Kingdom, she studied and passed her final exams at the Middle East Academy for Commercial Aviation in Amman, Jordan in 2005. It was when she also received her Commercial Pilot’s License and an Instrument Rating (CPL and IR) from the same academy.
“Saudi women are capable of taking on any job previously held exclusively by men in Saudi Arabia,” she said. “I have taken on a private initiative to counsel Saudi students in the US who are willing to pursue a career in aviation. Exciting opportunities await candidates in this field.”
Although Al-Hindi’s relatives disapproved of her choice to further her career as a pilot because they thought it was not very unbecoming for a woman, she mentions that she always had her family’s support from day one. “I am very proud of what I do and of my family’s support,” she said.
