Kota Kinabalu: A dream of becoming a pilot has taken Sabah-born Suriati Sukardi from helping her mother at a sundry shop and market to the cockpit of AirAsia commercial aircraft, The Star reported.
The 36-year-old is now flying Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft after joining AirAsia as a flight attendant in 2017 and serving in the cabin crew for eight years.
Her opportunity to pursue pilot training came in 2019, and she completed the course in 2022, but continued working as a flight attendant while waiting for an opportunity to enter the cockpit.
Her wait ended in 2024 when she received an offer to become a pilot, allowing her to pursue the ambition she had maintained throughout her years in the aviation industry.
Suriati’s journey from a modest upbringing to flying commercial aircraft highlights how her experience as cabin crew eventually led her towards fulfilling her long-held ambition of becoming a pilot.
