Kurdish woman in Sulaimani earns certification to fly Boeing 737
SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — A Kurd is the first woman to pilot a Boeing 737 jet airliner in Iraq after earning her requisite certifications as an employee at Iraqi Airways.
Warte Abubakir Ali, 26, had earned her certificate in civil aviation in 2015 in Denmark.
"It's important for two reasons,” Mohammed said. “We are proud of because she is a Kurd and that she is a pilot.”
"She is the first woman to fly a Boeing 737 in Iraq,” Dana Mohammed, media officer in the public relations department at Sulaimani International Airport, told Rudaw English.
Warte Abubakir Ali, 26, had earned her certificate in civil aviation in 2015 in Denmark.
"It's important for two reasons,” Mohammed said. “We are proud of because she is a Kurd and that she is a pilot.”
The Boeing 737 Next Gen model can carry hundreds of passengers. Photo: Boeing
Ali now flies for Iraq’s national airlines, according to Mohammed.
Iraqi Airways has 26 Boeing 737 Next Gen planes active, according to the industry monitor Air Fleets.
The Boeing 737 is designed for regional flights and can carry between up to 215 passengers, depending on its variant.