MASHHAD: An all-women flight landed at Mashhad’s Hasheminejad International Airport coinciding with National Women’s Day celebrations.
Operated by Aseman Airlines, the flight was piloted by Shahrzad Shams, one of Iran’s pioneering female aviators.
Dubbed the “Iran Banoo” (Iran Lady) flight, it carried 110 female passengers and marked the first time both the passengers and crew of a commercial flight in Mashhad were exclusively women.
The flight’s arrival in Mashhad, home to the revered shrine of Imam Reza, was hailed as a significant moment for women in the country.
The event coincided with the anniversary of the birth of Fatima al-Zahra, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad – celebrated as National Women’s and Mother’s Day – in Iran.
It is being seen as a testament to the growing participation of women in sectors traditionally dominated by men, including aviation.
Female pilots remain a rarity in Iran, but progress has been noted in recent years. In October 2019, Neshat Jahandari and Forouz Firouzi made history as the first female duo to operate a commercial flight in the Islamic Republic.
Shams, who piloted the Iran Banoo flight, is regarded as one of the nation’s trailblazing female pilots. Her leadership on Sunday’s historic flight underscores the strides women are making in a field long considered out of their reach.
Last week, singer Parastoo Ahmady was detained after performing a virtual concert on YouTube without wearing a hijab, an act seen as defying Iran’s strict dress codes. Despite YouTube restrictions, the performance garnered over 1.4 million views, sparking discussions about freedom of expression.
On the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in custody, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that the morality police would refrain from targeting women. However, rights activists remain skeptical about tangible changes in policy.
