Her Journey, her sky: The women of Oman Air are redefining ambition

Oman Wednesday 15/October/2025 20:39 PM
By: Times News Service
Her Journey, her sky: The women of Oman Air are redefining ambition

Muscat: Every journey begins on the ground. For the women of Oman Air, it begins in classrooms, hangars, flight decks and offices. Each follows a different rhythm, yet all rise toward the same horizon. Their stories do not stand apart. They intersect. They form one picture of what progress looks like when courage becomes culture.

In the lively hum of the hangar, Eng. Nasra Al Harthy, Manager – Line Maintenance Management, learned that excellence is built by detail. Twelve years of keeping aircraft safe taught her that mastery begins with discipline. Today, she carries that same precision into strategy meetings, bridging the gap between engineering and management.

“When an Omani woman applies herself, she can master the hangar floor and the leadership platform,” she says. “I’ve learned that technical mastery can become commercial strength.” Her confidence sets the tone for others who now see leadership as a continuation of craft.

Across the runway, First Officer Manal Al Balushi prepares for departure; her pre-flight checks blending habit with heart. She remembers when people said flying wasn’t a woman’s path. Yet here she stands, headset in place, balancing the weight of responsibility from her chosen career and as a mother. “Success isn’t just what you achieve,” she says, “it’s what you manage to hold together while doing it.”
For Manal, it’s about proving that family and job can thrive side by side. Her presence in the cockpit is an invitation to others to dream higher, and to know that ambition and care can share the same altitude.

That same conviction runs through Ghadeer Hassan, Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance, who sees progress in integrity. She began in finance, one of the few Omani women in her field, and found her purpose in shaping how organisations lead.

“Many people view governance as restrictive,” she explains, “but in reality, it’s an enabler for strategic empowerment.” For Ghadeer, governance is building trust. Her leadership reminds others that responsibility is not a limit on ambition but the very thing that allows it to grow.

Further down the corridor, Zareen Al Balushi, Cabin Director, reviews a flight roster. Long nights and distant time zones have refined her strength and today, she leads her crew with empathy born from experience. It’s the same empathy she carries home to her 
children. 

“People see the uniform,” she says, “but they don’t always see the sacrifices. The missed family moments, the long nights away. It takes strength and love to do both.”

Watching these women is Fatma Al Marhubi, Commercial Development Executive, one of Oman Air’s youngest professionals and a graduate of its Future Leaders Programme. 

Her desk is often surrounded by notebooks, plans, and the steady optimism of someone who believes that possibility is a national resource. “My journey is about learning and accountability,” she says. “It’s about proving that young Omani women are ready to lead when given the chance.” She’s seen first-hand how the lessons of others - Nasra’s precision, Manal’s balance, Ghadeer’s integrity, Zareen’s compassion - have built the foundation she now stands on. Her confidence carries the same conviction: that leadership is earned through consistency and curiosity.

Together, their journeys reflect a company and a country in motion. Modern and ambitious. Nasra speaks of “turning precision into strategy,” showing how a technical mindset can evolve into leadership. Manal believes “success isn’t about what you achieve, but what you hold together while doing it,” her words echoing through the hallways of the airline. Ghadeer sees governance as “a culture of empowerment,” proving that integrity can move an organisation forward.

For Zareen, strength is expressed in care. Her honesty captures what it means to give equally to passengers in the sky and a family waiting at home. And in Fatma’s optimism lies the future, a generation ready to take ownership.

Spend a day at Oman Air and you’ll feel it, the rhythm of change pulsing through conversations, meetings, and take-offs. A young engineer voicing her idea. A pilot mentoring a trainee. A leader pausing to listen before she speaks. These are the moments where trust happens, shared between people who believe in the same horizon.

And so, from cockpit to cabin, from boardroom to hangar, Oman Air’s women continue to shape the airline’s story one decision, one flight, one act of courage at a time.