Suriati Sukardi, 36, spent eight years as an AirAsia flight attendant before becoming a pilot.

She began flying lessons in 2019 and completed her pilot course in 2022.

Finding a pilot job was difficult, so she returned to cabin duty while she kept looking for a chance.

Two years later, a vacancy opened and she was offered a position to fly the Airbus A320 and A321.

"After so many years, I am finally soaring above with AirAsia and am living the dream I once held close to my heart," she said. "This is a reminder for myself and hopefully others that dreams can become a reality with determination, a bit of luck and a lot of hard work."

AirAsia’s cadet pilot program began in 2004, was paused for two years during the Covid‑19 pandemic, and reopened in March 2023, the airline said.

Women made up 4% of pilots worldwide in 2021, up from 3.6% in 2016, according to survey data the International Civil Aviation Organization released in 2023.

AirAsia was named the world’s best low‑cost airline for the 17th consecutive year at the Skytrax World Airline Awards.