RIO DE JANEIRO, 9 June 2026: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the winners of the annual IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards during the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 7 June.
Inspirational Role Model: Rania Alturki, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Saudia Group.
High Flyer: Fiona Omondi, Chief Strategy Officer, Tradewinds Aviation Services and Co-Founder, Women in Aviation International, Kenya.
Diversity & Inclusion Team: LATAM Airlines Group
“Aviation competes for talent. In that context, the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards inspire the industry with great examples of the many initiatives underway. They are a strong signal to anyone considering working in our amazing industry that there are opportunities without boundaries for all to build rewarding careers in aviation. It is particularly encouraging to see the growing number of women in cockpit roles, on the ground in maintenance and engineering, and in the CEO’s office. There is still much more progress to make, but it’s important to pause and recognise the changes happening and those leading the charge. Congratulations to all those nominated for the Awards and, of course, the winners,” said IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh.
Qatar Airways sponsor the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards. With their support, each winner receives a prize of USD25,000, payable either to them or to their nominated charities.
The 2026 IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards were presented during the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which followed the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Winner Profiles
Inspirational Role Model: Rania Alturki, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Saudia Group. She joined Saudia Group as the airline’s first female executive with one clear ambition — to create opportunities for female pilots and cabin crew members, and to integrate women into engineering and technical roles in an environment that, for years, remained closed to women. Under her leadership, the group underwent a remarkable transformation, with women now representing approximately 25% of the Saudia Group workforce and playing a key role in supporting the group’s growth, innovation, and transformation. In addition, 56% of cabin crew members are now women, and 34% of all new hires in 2025 were women, up 11% from the year before. Importantly, more than 36 women now serve in different leadership positions across the group.
High Flyer: Fiona Omondi, Chief Strategy Officer, Tradewinds Aviation Services and Co-Founder, Women in Aviation International, Kenya. Omondi is a trailblazer in Africa’s aviation industry, co-founding Women in Aviation International Kenya to raise awareness of aviation careers and support aspiring professionals through mentorship and outreach initiatives.
Diversity & Inclusion Team: LATAM Airlines Group. The efforts of LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates focused on increasing the number of female maintenance technicians, which rose from 111 in 2021 to 539 by December 2025 and has continued to grow across the group. LATAM Airlines Group has dismantled gender stereotypes in technical roles and strengthened its workforce by expanding access to skilled talent in this key area of the industry. This demonstrates how inclusion can directly support business resilience and long-term growth.
(Source: IATA)
