Meet Katrin Örs, a First Officer who flies for Nordic Aviation Group and has a special story. She's the only woman in Sweden with Assyrian heritage who works as a pilot, and she's excited to share her journey with you.

My name is Katrin Örs and I am 36 years old. I am a First Officer on the CRJ fleet and proudly working for XFly with ARN base.

Backstory

Everything started the year 1993 when me and my family were onboard a SAS flight on our way to Germany to meet our cousins. I was turning six years old and was really excited to fly. When I saw the air hostess and the captains uniform, I remember that I said to my mother “mom, I want to have their clothes” and she answered “yes, one day”. That memory has always been with me through my whole year. I had it as a dream and I knew that it might be difficult for me to achieve that dream.

My family is from the southeast part of Turkey, an area called “Turabdin”. The people from Turabdin are a minority group called “Assyrian/Syriac”. In the villages in Turabdin, the girls did not have the opportunity to go to school. This culture was brought with the families who fled from Turabdin to Sweden, which impacted the future for many women. My parents respected the culture but also believed that education is important for both men and women.

When I was 19 years old and had graduated from high school, I applied to the Swedish Air Force. I remember that I mentioned it to my parents but they thought I was joking about it. But when I got the results back saying “you must complete 1 year of Swedish military training and then you’re welcome to do the tests” my parents freaked out. I was not allowed to go to the military -  that would be too dangerous and it would also bring shame over the family because that’s for boys, and nothing for a girl.

So, I applied to a two year course in Örnsköldsvik and moved at the end of the summer. I studied Tourism Entrepreneur and my main goal was to enter the aviation industry via internship. I had three internships. The first one was in a hotel in Panama. The second was a travel agency in Stockholm and the last one was for SAS Ground Handling as a Traffic assistant at Arlanda airport.

SAS offered me a summer job and that’s how my aviation career started.

At the airport

2008 was the year I started my first course as a Traffic Assistant for SAS Ground Handling in Arlanda airport. I was so excited to wear the uniform I’ve dreamt of all these years and I was full of joy everyday, even though my shift started at 03:00 am. My colleagues became like my family and even though I lived 80 km from Arlanda I was never late, on the contrary, I was always early.

In 2011 I became a Document and Security Officer. This period was tough and really challenging. You needed to know all types of stamps, visas, passports, to do screenings, find fake passports, fake visas and still be professional enough to deny passengers. I became really good at it and could use it for my next position.

In 2012 I became a Check-in Supervisor and I really loved it. To help and to solve passengers' problems was my everyday passion. Of course we had days where we had to deny passengers due to different reasons but I was so well aware of all the laws and rules SAS had that I could explain it to the passengers and we were both happy in the end. I think it’s important to always meet the person with a calm and positive approach, try to understand their situation and give the person some time to think. My main goal was always to make the passengers leave our check-in counter with knowledge and happiness.

Aviation school

In 2018 I started my pilot dream and started studying at OSM Aviation Academy in Västerås. It was a tough period of time but I graduated in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. I went back to SAS Ground Handling and became a Supervisor at the Station Support. 

As a pilot

In 2023 I had the opportunity to join XFly as a First Officer. I remember the day I received the positive news from PAS Aviation. My first pilot job ever and to get the opportunity to fly the CRJ sounded amazing. It’s a moment I will never forget in my life. My first impression when I entered the headquarters of Nordica in Tallinn was that it was so calm and nice. All the people I met were so welcoming. I finished my type rating course and all of the sudden I was going to do my first base training. It was at this moment I thought “oh my God, it’s for real now and it’s about to happen after all these years”.

Another memorable moment was when I tried on the pilot uniform. To go from what was my confidence and 15 years of experience, from the beautiful uniform dress and high heels to the pants and a tie felt like starting from scratch. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

There is something special with the airport environment. As soon as I step into the airport, I feel so much love and joy. One of my favorite things of working in aviation is when I was at the check-in counter and could give the passengers the best experience and start of their journey. Today as a pilot, I have the same mindset for my passengers, but to transport them to their destination on time and as safely as possible.

Some of the most important things I've learned in the job is safety and security, to respect each individual equally and to follow and respect the airport rules, the operator and the airline’s SOP. It is also important to have a positive approach towards each other and work as a team, to handle situations and communications professionally, to be well prepared for each flight and to always ask questions when you’re not certain. I also believe that one should not underestimate that a smile and a hello can change the atmosphere onboard.

I’ve met so many new colleagues, both pilots, cabin crew and from the head office - and I’m so thankful. Everyone has been so nice and welcomed me with open arms and I couldn’t ask for anything better. My main goal in this company is to become a really good and appreciated pilot. I would love to become an LTC and also be a part of the Commercial Team. 

I think that the future is in social media. I would like to try to reach out to the youth and show them that everything is possible and also try to inspire and motivate them to become our future colleagues.