UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

07/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/10/2025 07:34

Defying gravity and expectations, former Syrian refugee Maya Ghazal gets her wings

"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."

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