Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Releases a Special Aviation Documentary Series for March 8
Sabiha Gökçen Airport has launched the documentary series “Women Without Limits in Aviation” in its 25th year. Released especially for March 8 International Women’s Day, the project tells the stories of inspiring women in the aviation sector.
The project, which takes a closer look at the stories of women who make a difference with their effort, intelligence and determination at every point from the terminal to the tower, from technical hangars to operations centres, will meet viewers throughout 2026 with a series consisting of 12 episodes over one year.
Sabiha Gökçen Airport Tells Women’s Success Stories in Aviation in Its 25th Year
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is launching a new project not only as a transportation hub, but also as the bearer of a legacy symbolising the transformative power of women in the workforce. The stories of women who make a difference with their effort, intelligence and determination at every level of aviation, from the terminal to the tower, from technical hangars to operations centres, are being recorded in a special documentary series that will continue for 12 months.
The Key to Sustainable Development: Equal Opportunity
Today, women’s participation in the workforce is not only a social responsibility but also a cornerstone of sustainable growth and institutional resilience. Increasing women’s employment strengthens diversity, productivity and a sense of belonging, while enabling the full evaluation of economic potential and opening the doors to a more resilient development model. While the increasing representation of women in business is the clearest indication that equal opportunity has turned into tangible economic value, the aviation sector is among the pioneers of this global transformation.
Advocating that women should take part in every layer of the economic structure, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen goes beyond statistics and brings real success stories to the screen. The series, which increases the visibility of women running towards success, presents powerful stories created by equal opportunity to society.
The documentary series consisting of 12 different stories to be released throughout the year serves both as a source of inspiration and a digital memory archive. The project, whose first episode met viewers on 6 March 2026, brings the voices of women working in the aviation ecosystem and breaking boundaries in their professions, regardless of which field of the sector they work in, to the world.
Future Leaders Meet at a New Altitude
Explaining the motivation behind the documentary series “Women Without Limits in Aviation”, which features the determined lives and success stories of 12 women, ISG Marketing and Corporate Communications Director Dr Aslıhan Güven said:
“With the pride of carrying one of the strongest symbols of our Republic’s history in our name, we prepared this project with a great sense of responsibility. As an airport named after the world’s first female fighter pilot, we consider it our duty to carry Sabiha Gökçen’s unwavering determination and vision into the future. This documentary series presents the achievements of a new generation of role models rising on her wings to the leaders of tomorrow.”
She continued her remarks as follows:
“For many years, aviation has been perceived as a male-dominated sector in every field from piloting to technical operations. Inspired by Sabiha Gökçen, a global icon, we are breaking this perception and rising to a new altitude. We say, ‘There is no glass ceiling in the sky and the sky belongs to all of us.’
Today, the touch of women at every stage—from operational efficiency to passenger experience—is not a preference but a fundamental pillar of sustainable growth. Through the stories of courageous women who captain the transformation journey in our airport ecosystem, we once again prove this truth to the world.”
Women Are Breaking All Limits
Emphasising that there has been a visible increase in strategic steps taken by companies in recent years to strengthen women’s representation, Dr Aslıhan Güven stated:
“Global data shows that women’s employment in the aviation ecosystem is gaining strategic momentum each year. In our country as well, policies encouraging women’s participation in economic life are the strongest fuel of this transformation. Especially in dynamic and critical sectors such as aviation, the increase in women’s representation is the clearest proof that equal opportunity is not only a social responsibility but also a tangible economic added value.”
From Discourse to Action: 50% Female Representation
Stating that ISG has drawn a success chart far above sector averages, Güven highlighted the institution’s pioneering role in this regard:
“With a 50% female representation in our senior management team, we have transformed gender equality into an institutional identity at our airport. Our documentary series ‘Women Without Limits in Aviation’ transparently reveals the career journeys, determination to overcome obstacles and leadership experiences of women who make a difference in every area of the aviation ecosystem—from the terminal to the tower, from technical hangars to operations centres. We are proud to launch the first episode of our series within the scope of March 8 International Women’s Day and World Women of Aviation Week. Our aim is to contribute to the writing of new success stories at every level of aviation. On this occasion, I wholeheartedly congratulate all our women who break boundaries with their determination and whose achievements know no limits.”
ISG Expands Women’s Solidarity in the Sector
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (ISG) Airport, which initiated a strategic awareness movement in the sector with the “In the Footsteps of Sabiha Gökçen” meetings implemented in the 100th anniversary of the Republic, continues to crown the presence and transformative power of women in aviation. Throughout the series, ISG focuses on the critical role of solidarity and courage in the aviation ecosystem and sheds light on new generations through the narratives of leading women who sincerely share their career journeys.
With different concepts following the traces of determination and perseverance, ISG inspires the aviation world and transforms success stories into a cultural legacy that will shape the future structure of the sector rather than leaving them merely as memories. Carrying the stories of women who have left the footprints of courage in the aviation world into the future as a cultural heritage, ISG continues to strengthen the transformation initiated by leaders for women’s solidarity in the sector.
The documentary series “Women Without Limits in Aviation” emphasises that women are not merely “representatives” in the business world but the main actors who fundamentally transform industries. Pointing out that equal opportunity is not only a corporate policy issue but also a matter of cultural transformation, the project aims to become a role model for younger generations and support a more inclusive future vision in aviation.
A Legacy from Equal Opportunity to Corporate Transformation
Highlighting that the mini documentary series “Women Without Limits in Aviation” is a digital legacy left to future professionals beyond a career narrative, Aslıhan Güven said:
“With this series, we make not only stories but also three core values permanent: we advocate equal opportunity by making women’s competence visible at every level of aviation; we establish a digital mentorship network by presenting concrete examples of what is achievable for young girls; and we build a human-centred, inclusive corporate belonging ecosystem under the ISG umbrella. Our project goes beyond individual success stories and presents a holistic perspective that questions how equal opportunity permeates corporate culture, leadership understanding and the sector’s future vision. We aim to show younger generations that women are not only ‘stakeholders’ in the sector but also ‘game-changers’ and a ‘transformative force’, and to support an inclusive future in aviation. With this project, we also send a strong message to the business world: equal opportunity should not be a social responsibility headline but a strategic choice that supports competitiveness and sustainable growth.”
She emphasised that the change created by women in the sector has now gone beyond individual success and evolved into an institutional and social transformation.
From Operations to Senior Management: Women Leaving Their Mark on the Sky
World Women of Aviation Week and March 8 International Women’s Day, celebrated in memory of the historic day when the world’s first female pilot met the sky, are crowned this year with a meaningful project. Names from different disciplines of aviation appear in the documentary series as “digital mentors”. In each episode, viewers witness the career journeys and sector-shaping experiences of women who push the limits of the sky—from the heart of operations to the management floor. Here are the women who left their mark on aviation and will appear in the series, each featured in different episodes:
- Retired Lieutenant Colonel Hürriyet Munanoğlu, Turkey’s first woman pilot to perform a supersonic flight, broke boundaries in military aviation as a pioneering instructor pilot who trained F-16 pilots.
- After studying computer engineering, Seda Saygı Aktaş shaped her career in the aviation sector and became an inspiring face of the new generation of civil aviation as an A320 pilot at Pegasus Airlines.
- One of Turkey’s leading aviation and technology executives, İsmihan Baysal Anderson leads the digital transformation of aviation, particularly at Sabiha Gökçen Airport where she serves as Director of Information Technology and Automation.
- Özlem Oral, the Sabiha Gökçen Airport Representative of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, represents the memory of operational excellence and oversight in aviation with 20 years of experience in the sector.
- Esra Önal, who serves as Director of Human and Business Support at HEAŞ (Sabiha Gökçen Airport Authority), a subsidiary of the Presidency of Defence Industries, manages the strategic power of human resources within the aviation ecosystem.
- Doctor Özlem Gündüz, responsible for the Health Inspection Centre (SDM) at Sabiha Gökçen Airport under the Directorate General of Border and Coastal Health, has been witnessing the development of the airport for 18 years and undertaking the critical role of health in civil aviation.
