Woman captains The Skies, The Other Navigates The Seven Seas.
Two women have risen through the ranks to stamp their mark their own right in male dominant workforces.
Monday 01 November 2021 | 11:59
(Left) Goundar Shipping Limited’s first female captain, Sainimere Qutonilaba. (Right) Captain Seini Cornish is the first Fijian woman to captain the big A330 and A350 wide bodied jets of Fiji Airways.
Two women have risen through the ranks to stamp their mark their own right in male dominant workforces.
One captains the skies, while the other navigates the seven seas.
Fiji Airways
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Captain Seini Cornish is the first Fijian woman to captain the big wide bodied A330 and A350 jets of Fiji Airways.
Her husband is also a senior captain for Fiji Airways.
Captain Cornish is the daughter of the late Jone Koroitamana, a pioneering local air traffic controller and former chief executive officer of Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji.
Mr Koroitamana, a highly qualified traffic controller, was a recognised figure in international aviation safety circles.
Captain Cornish was not available for comment when contacted yesterday.
She was among a growing number of female pilots who rose through the ranks to command positions in the national airline.
Captain Cornish has been a pilot at Fiji Airways for 15 years, and a mother for almost 13 years.
She joined the Pacific Flying School in 2002.
Fiji Airways said an official announcement was expected to be made soon.
Goundar Shipping
Captain Sainimere Qutonilaba is the first female Captain at the country’s main interisland operator Goundar Shipping Limited.
She joined the company as a cadet, and worked her way to Master’s level over the past nine years.
Goundar Shipping said Captain Qutonilaba was proof that good things come to those who were willing to make sacrifices for a worthwhile goal.
Several attempts to contact Captain Qutonilaba were unsuccessful.
Goundar Shipping managing director, George Goundar said Captain Qutonilaba epitomised one of the company’s greatest achievements.
“I have never cut her slack on her account of her gender., so she worked twice as hard to earn her way.
“She is not one to make excuses because of her gender.
“In fact, she works twice as hard as her male counterparts.”
At Goundar Shipping, 30 per cent of its employees are females, Mr Goundar said.
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