All-women flight lands in Iranian holy city Mashhad for first time

An Iranian airline made history on Sunday with an exclusive all-women flight that landed in the sacred city of Mashhad, situated in the northeastern region, as reported by state media.

The flight, operated by Aseman Airlines and piloted by Shahrzad Shams, a trailblazing female aviator in Iran, transported 110 passengers, according to the official IRNA news agency.

The service, known as "Iran Banoo" (Iran Lady), arrived at Hasheminejad International Airport in Mashhad, the country's second-largest urban centre and location of the sacred Imam Reza shrine, a significant site in Shiite Islam.

"This is the first time a women-only flight, with both female passengers and crew, lands in Mashhad," stated IRNA, though the departure location remained unspecified.

The journey to Mashhad aligned with the birth anniversary of Fatima al-Zahra, Prophet Mohammed's daughter, IRNA reported.

Whilst Iran's aviation sector has witnessed an increase in female pilots recently, they remain a minority in the profession.

In October 2019, aviation history was made in the Islamic Republic when pilot Neshat Jahandari and co-pilot Forouz Firouzi became the first women to operate a commercial passenger flight, as documented by local media outlets.