Watch: Etihad's all-female flight crew take to the sky on International Women's Day

The women piloted a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Abu Dhabi to Cairo

Etihad celebrates International Women's Day with an all-female flight crew aboard a Dreamliner flight from Abu Dhabi to Cairo. Courtesy Etihad

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Etihad operated an all-female flight crew service from Abu Dhabi to Egypt.

The national airline of the UAE operated the Boeing Dreamliner jet on a four-hour trip from the UAE capital to Cairo on Monday.

The flight was headed by female Captain Isma Dewi, who was joined in the cockpit by Emirati Senior First Officer Shareefa Al Bloushi.

Footage from the turnaround flight to Egypt's capital city has been released by Etihad.

In the video, the female pilots can be seen in the cockpit operating the jet as it departs Abu Dhabi International Airport and soars above Yas Marina Circuit, home to the annual F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The jet then flies north-west, over the Red Sea and towards the City of a Thousand Minarets. A smooth landing by the flight crew at Cairo International Airport is also captured on camera.

"Here's to the women of Etihad, on the ground and in the air, who keep the world connected," said the airline in support of International Women's Day.

Gender balance in aviation

In the world of aviation, women remain largely underrepresented, even more so when it comes to pilots. According to the International Air Transport Association (Iata) only an estimated 5 per cent of pilots worldwide are female.

In 2019, Iata launched a campaign called 25by2025. It is designed to improve female representation in the industry by 25 per cent, or up to a minimum of 25 per cent by 2025.

Etihad committed to the pledge on International Women's Day last year. It joined 59 other airlines, and is the first UAE airline to commit to the pledge.