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Saudi airline to hire female cabin crew for first time in kingdom's history

Flyadeal hopes to hire at least 20 Saudi-born women to become cabin crew for the airline
Flyadeal was founded in 2017 as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan (AFP)

A budget airliner in Saudi Arabia has called on Saudi women to apply for air hostess jobs, a first in the Gulf Kingdom's history. 

Flyadeal, an airline company owned by the state-owned Saudia, posted the job advert online on Tuesday. 

In the posting, Flyadeal explicitly calls on Saudi women aged 23-30 years old to apply for the role. 

Among the requirements listed include being fluent in English and having customer services and sales experience.

Local reports also said that the budget airline planned to hire 20 Saudi women to be trained to become cabin crew members. 

Founded in 2017, the airline was set up as part of the Gulf kingdom's drive to build up its tourism industry, as a way of diversifying its oil-rich economy.  

The budget airliner's decision to call upon Saudi nationals to apply for the role is a big step after Saudia said in 2015 that it would not hire Saudi women to work as cabin crew. 

Flyadeal posted the job advertisement on September 11 (Screengrab)
In January, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development announced the gradual plan to restrict employment in 12 sectors to Saudi nationals over three phases, beginning in September 2018 and ending in January 2019.

The plan aims at reducing unemployment among Saudis, which currently stands at 12.8 percent, and decreasing the cost of public sector wages by bolstering private sector jobs.

Under the reform agenda spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi government seeks to reduce unemployment to seven percent by 2030.

The first phase would unlock 30,000 jobs for Saudi men and women, who would replace expatriates, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported, quoting an official at the Ministry of Labour.

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