Captain Cristina Preda has made history as the new Flight Operations Director at DAN AIR, becoming the first woman in Europe to hold this significant airline leadership role.
With extensive experience piloting both Boeing and Airbus aircraft and thousands of flight hours, Preda will manage DAN AIR’s operational standards, represent the airline before aviation authorities, and promote safety culture across flight operations. Known for her leadership and dedication, she has previously led challenging missions, including repatriation flights from conflict zones like Lebanon and Israel.
DAN AIR’s CEO, Matt Ian David, highlighted her courage and professionalism, especially during high-stakes evacuations. Captain Preda, a Romanian Aviation Academy alumna, expressed hope that her role will inspire women and others to pursue leadership and excel in aviation.
It’s always good to see a woman being elevated to a senior management role in the airline world.
But let’s put some perspective on this particular story and not get carried away – Dan Air is a minor Romanian airline with just 3 aircraft (possibly only 2 in current service?), so its flight crew will undoubtedly hold other operational responsibilities along with their flying duties.