Saudi Arabia: All female Brunei crew in historic flight

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia: All female Brunei crew in historic flight

JEDDAH: -- Three Royal Brunei Airlines pilots have made history by being the company's first all-female flight crew, making their first journey to Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive.

The women flew the Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Brunei to Jeddah.

The milestone coincided with Brunei's National Day to celebrate independence. Last year women in Saudi Arabia cast their votes for the first time in municipal elections. A total of 978 women also registered as candidates.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35816887

-- BBC 2016-03-16

[lostinisaan]

Congrats !! Really time for a change in this Muslim world, where men seem to be the creme de' la' creme.

[oldsailor35]

Flew with them once, that's enough !

[oldsailor35]

I wonder where they did their training ?

[chuckd]

I wonder where they did their training ?

My guess would be in the US (Boeing 787) and Brunei.

But they still can't drive a car in Saudi Arabia...which is not Brunei.

[Lukecan]

Wow I would have not boarded that plane, in Kazakhsthan they say women driving a car is like monkey driving an airplane. VERY DANGEROUS

[Chicog]

Wow I would have not boarded that plane, in Kazakhsthan they say women driving a car is like monkey driving an airplane. VERY DANGEROUS

You can fly with male Kazakh pilots then.

I know which I would choose.

[samran]

Wow I would have not boarded that plane, in Kazakhsthan they say women driving a car is like monkey driving an airplane. VERY DANGEROUS

Thanks for that wonderful insght, Borat.

[PREM-R]

I wonder where they did their training ?

From the BBC report "Captain Czarena trained in the UK and in December 2013 became the first Royal Brunei pilot to fly out of London Heathrow in its flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner."

[Briggsy]

Look how the story is spun with a positive "things are only getting better" air.

Saudi Arabia is our friend (apparently) and the medieval realities are skipped over in the piece.

BBC has completely lost any objectivity it ever might have had.

[johnno2]

yes, things have certainly improved in saudi arabia since i left that shithole in 2014. they are fighting a war in yemen, they have fingers in syria, they are under attack in their own country from insurgents supported by iran. in 2014, 88 people were executed for heinous crimes such as enjoying themselves too much. in the first 6 months of 2015, only 90 people were executed so things are on the improve.

christ i miss that place.........http://www.mintpressnews.com/number-of-saudi-arabian-executions-beheading-soar-in-2015/206139/

[dexterm]

Wonderful achievement. Congrats. I am sure the story will gradually filter through to Saudi society to help them realize how primitive and embarrassing on the world stage their male chauvinism is, and just another small peaceful step in the right direction to bring change there.

[HLover]

Women are not allowed to drive there but are allowed to fly?

[samran]

Women are not allowed to drive there but are allowed to fly?

The mullahs stuck in the Middle Ages and unable to think that women are capable of much (a bit like the Thai visa readership really...) probably haven't gotten around the banning that.

[Tchooptip]

yes, things have certainly improved in saudi arabia since i left that shithole in 2014. they are fighting a war in yemen, they have fingers in syria, they are under attack in their own country from insurgents supported by iran. in 2014, 88 people were executed for heinous crimes such as enjoying themselves too much. in the first 6 months of 2015, only 90 people were executed so things are on the improve.

christ i miss that place.........http://www.mintpressnews.com/number-of-saudi-arabian-executions-beheading-soar-in-2015/206139/

people were executed for heinous crimes such as enjoying themselves too much.

Sorry I know I should not with such a subject...but this sentence is too much.

[landslide]

I've got to think these women are the "best of the best", or Royal Brunei Airlines would not have put their reputation on the line in the Mid-East. I've also got to think that Saudi Arabia may not be too happy, but that cannot refuse a fully certified crew, even if they are women.

[lostinisaan]

Flew with them once, that's enough !

Are you still alive? I know quite a few who aren't. Male Captain with suicide thoughts etc....

[Cats4ever]

Flew with them about 4 years ago, not to Saudi. Captain was a woman. All went well with the flight within their circumscribed service on the ground and in the air (smoking & drinking).

[sawadee1947]

Congrats !! Really time for a change in this Muslim world, where men seem to be the creme de' la' creme.

And where do YOU belong to if not to the creme de la creme ?

[MaxYakov]

For what it's worth ( www.airlive.net ):

Or there is always Capt. Czarena ( metro.co.uk ):

It is a Dreamliner, yes?

Edited March 17, 2016 by MaxYakov

[tartempion]

Didn't they ban Christmas in Brunei?