Saudi airline Flynas to recruit 300 nationals
Saudi budget airline Flynas will hire 300 Saudi female and male flight attendants within two years as the kingdom attempts to reduce unemployment among nationals, and increase women’s access to the workforce.
The carrier will also recruit 200 Saudi male and female co-pilots over the next five years, Flynas said in a statement on Thursday.
The company has begun-accepting applications for both positions. Currently only non-Saudi women are employed as cabin crew in the country.
“Flynas will consider the working hours and will allocate a uniform for Saudi female flight attendants in line with the Saudi customs and traditions,” it said.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is spearheading efforts to modernise the kingdom and transform the oil-reliant economy. This includes increasing women participation in the labour force to 30 per cent, from 22 per cent currently, by 2030.
In June, Saudi Arabia overturned a driving ban on women. The kingdom is increasingly appointing women to traditionally male-dominated roles from banking to aviation. Earlier this summer, the country announced a programme me to train women as air-traffic controllers for the first time to certify them for jobs in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Among the requirements for Saudi cabin crew candidates are falling within the age range of 22 to 30, a minimum of a high-school certificate or diploma, fluency in spoken and written English, and a minimum height of 160cm for women and 168cm for men, according to Flynas website.
Established in 2007, the airline operates a fleet of 30 Airbus A320s.