Attendees at a TUI Airline pilot certification ceremony stand in front of a Concorde airliner at Aerospace Bristol, UK.© UNHCR/ LivPix Photography
A decade after arriving in the UK as a young refugee, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador officially becomes a commercial airline pilot and hopes her achievement will inspire other young refugees to aim high
By Laura Padoan in Bristol, UK
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Maya Ghazal has become the world’s first female Syrian commercial pilot from a refugee background, having officially received her “wings” to fly Boeing 737 jets as a second officer.
Maya Ghazal, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and airline pilot. © HCR/Jonah Klein
The certification ceremony held at the Aerospace Bristol museum in the west of England also marked the ten-year anniversary of Ghazal’s arrival in the UK as a teenage refugee. Growing up in Damascus, she said she never could have imagined how her formative years would unfold.
“In Syria, I had a normal childhood,” she explained. “I had a large family and a lot of friends, I loved my home, and I was proud of my country. Then war came. I had to change schools three times because each one was bombed.”
Knowing that the family was in danger, Ghazal’s father made the journey to Europe and was granted refugee status in the UK, allowing Maya, her mother and younger brothers to join him through a family reunion scheme.
“When I arrived in the UK, I was rejected from so many schools as they had no idea how to handle my Syrian education certificates. The boredom and loneliness of being shut up at home all day were terrifying to me, and I felt like my future had just evaporated. But finally, after months, I got a place in college. Then one day, when I was with my mum near Heathrow Airport, I became fascinated with the planes taking off and landing. I just wanted to sit and watch them the whole day. That’s when I decided I wanted to be a pilot.”
For any young person, flight training is a demanding and competitive process, and only 5 per cent of the world’s pilots are women. “Again, I was told: ‘You can’t do that’. But I wanted to prove people wrong!”
Ghazal persevered, taught herself English and graduated with a degree in aviation engineering. In 2023, she was selected to join TUI Airline’s 19-month intensive cadet training programme.
“Resilience is vital in training to be a pilot,” she said. “There is a learning curve, and there were struggles, but it is a real joy to be in the cockpit. The moment when you have control of the plane means you have control of the path you’re taking.”
At Aerospace Bristol, in a cavernous hangar that holds the last Concorde to fly, TUI Captain Paul Hurst congratulated the cadets at a ceremony brimming with emotion and pride.
“We wanted our pilot scheme to be available to anyone from any walk of life, from any background – to open up the possibility for UK aviation to include people like Maya who may not have got an alternative chance,” Hurst said. “We’re absolutely proud to be able to do that.”
Now established as a second officer and co-pilot, Maya is already flying passengers to summer holiday destinations in Europe. “Eventually, she can become a captain,” Boland added. “She’ll have a wonderful career with TUI Airline, and we look forward to watching her progress.”
Maya’s family were in attendance at the ceremony, delighted to witness her achievement. With tears in her eyes, Maya’s mother Rimah Darkachli reflected on what the moment meant to her.
Maya with her family and partner during the ceremony. © HCR/Jonah Klein
“When I saw Maya graduate and take her certificate, the whole ten years came back to me,” she said. “Coming from Syria, I never imagined that this would be possible. It wasn’t an easy journey, but I’m so proud and grateful for everything that she has achieved.”
Appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR in 2021, Maya has been using her voice to advocate for safe legal routes and education for refugees for many years. She sees her wings as a symbol of hope and a reminder to continue lifting others up.
“My message to all other young refugee girls is, do not let war clip your wings. Challenge every difficulty, every stereotype. Help other women along the way. And do not forget to dream. Because truly, the sky is the limit.”
