Prime Highlights
- Hanan Jawad and Bakhita Al Mheiri become the first Emirati women to hold the rank of captain at Emirates airline.
- Both pilots rose through the Emirates cadet programme, which has trained Emirati aviators since 1993.
Key Facts
- Jawad has flown over 9,200 hours across 18 years, including 16-hour long-haul routes to destinations such as Miami.
- Al Mheiri has logged more than 6,000 flying hours since joining as a cadet in 2011.
Background
Hanan Mohammed Jawad and Bakhita Al Mheiri have become the first Emirati women to reach the rank of captain at Emirates airline, marking a milestone for female pilots in the region.
Both fly Boeing 777 aircraft and rose through the Emirates Group’s national cadet pilot programme before earning their fourth stripes.
Jawad, 38, joined Emirates as a cadet pilot 18 years ago and has since logged more than 9,200 flying hours, including long-haul routes stretching up to 16 hours.
She said childhood memories of watching an Emirati woman pilot on television first inspired her to pursue the career, and she credited years of steady effort and support from colleagues for her rise to captain.
She described the role as a major responsibility that extends beyond handling the aircraft to caring for passengers and crew who place their trust in her.
Al Mheiri, 33, began as a cadet in 2011 and has flown more than 6,000 hours since then. She said progress often comes from persistence rather than precedent, pointing to the UAE’s own rapid development as proof that ambitious goals can be reached.
She noted that each flight brings fresh challenges, from mixed nationalities among crew to changing weather, and said she values the constant learning the job demands.
Capt Hassan Alhammadi, divisional senior vice president of flight operations at Emirates, praised both pilots for their dedication and consistent effort to meet high performance standards.
The cadet programme, launched in 1993, trains around 120 recruits annually over a four-year course. Candidates need at least 90 flight sectors to qualify as first officers, while captains must log a minimum of 6,000 flight hours and meet strict performance benchmarks.
