Kam Air captain Veronica Boysova and her all-female crew have been awarded a prestigious AeroTime Aviation Achievement Award for their historic flight in February when Afghanistan witnessed an all-female crewed commercial passenger flight.

Now, crew members of this historic and groundbreaking event have joined the exclusive ranks of AeroTime Aviation Achievement Award recipients.

Speaking to Borysova, AeroTime stated that at the time of the February flight, the crew did not fully realize the significance of the journey ahead of them.

“We just met up as a group of friends, as a group of professionals, and prepared for our flight. We just wanted to take our passengers from Kabul to Herat and back,” said Borysova.

She said that the crew had been supported by the airline and they had felt excited to be taking part in the all-female flight.

“So, I don’t think that we actually realized how significant and historical it would be for the aviation industry and for Afghanistan, specifically until later on when it actually happened and articles were issued, and the video went out,” Borysova added.

AeroTime stated that when passengers boarded flight RQ103 on February 24, they had no clue what a special occasion they were about to witness.

“For passengers, it was a normal and routine flight,” explained Arefa Ahmadi, the flight purser.

“But for us, the flight was not a normal flight. Because in the history of Afghanistan, it was the first flight by only women. I’m very proud to have been chosen as a flight purser for that flight.

“The most important thing that we wanted to show to the world, and especially to Afghan women, was to believe in themselves and to strive to achieve their goals,” Ahmadi said.

According to AeroTime, first officer Mohadese Mirzaee, Kam Air’s first female Afghan pilot, said she was excited about the flight and the difference it was making for women in Afghanistan.

“For me personally, it wasn’t just another day at work. Deep inside I was waiting for this day for so long.

“I wanted to show to the world that the all-female crew of Afghanistan could fly this plane. As women, working side by side we can support each other and we can fly a plane and take people to wherever they want to be. We can connect people to their loved ones, bring a mother to her daughter or a son, bring loved ones to each other. So it was not just a normal day, it was a very rewarding experience.”

The award recognizes their dedication and commitment to their work, their promotion of equality in aviation, and their position as role models for the next generation of women to pursue their dreams.

When presenting the award, Vygaudas Usackas said: “I think it is a very powerful message to the Afghan people and to the world. Especially this year when peace negotiations and talks about reconciliation are going on. The future of Afghanistan lies in equal opportunities in respect of freedoms and women’s rights.” Usackas is a member of the AeroTime Global Advisory Board and served as the European Union’s Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2013.