Photo Courtesy of Travel Noire/ Iman Sayed
Iman Sayed, Egyptian-born and moved to Canada, has become WestJet airlines’ first hijab-wearing flight attendant.
According to Travel Norie, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sayed was laid off from her job.
The flight attendant said that she had endured significant spiritual and mental growth during her break from flying. She started wearing a hijab, which is an Islamic headscarf. Sayed said she could also expand in her business ventures and find a new career opportunity in mechanical engineering as a power transmission rep.
After taking an 18-month break, Sayed was able to go back to flying and said that being the airline’s first hijabi flight attendant is incredible, especially after having experienced discrimination in her workplace.
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“It happens all of the time, but I find that killing people with kindness works best. Sometimes I forget that I am wearing the hijab until it’s pointed out to me by people’s behavior and body language! However, I am always open to educate those that need clarification,” Sayed said.
“It actually didn’t hit me that I’d be the airline’s first flight attendant to wear one until I started inquiring about how to wear my hijab with uniform compliance. That’s when my instructors realized that it hasn’t been done before at WestJet Mainline. I’m hoping that this will encourage other hijabis to apply and work with us or for my Muslim coworkers to feel comfortable wearing the hijab if desired!”
Sayed said her passion for traveling began at the age of 19 when she went on a trip to Cuba.
“I instantly fell in love with discovering new cultures,” said Sayed. “I enjoyed myself so much that I booked another vacation while I was still in Cuba. Belize would be my top Caribbean destination, though. I appreciate the small island vibe, and the food is absolutely amazing!”