Eswatini’s Luyanda Mkhonta has completed her training with Emirates in Dubai, marking a significant step in her aviation career and drawing messages of congratulations from home.
For Mkhonta, Thursday marked the end of one chapter in her aviation journey when she joined fellow graduates at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for their graduation.
She was among those who completed the Fly Emirates Training Programme, an achievement she has since shared with appreciation as messages of congratulations continue to come in from people across Eswatini.
The occasion placed her among aviation professionals and trainees completing their development within one of the world’s best-known airline groups.
Mkhonta has expressed her appreciation for the support and congratulatory messages she has received following the graduation.
She said she was happy with the achievement and proud of what it represented for her, particularly as people back home rallied behind her and wished her well in the next stage of her career.
Her graduation took place at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai, one of several specialised training facilities that form part of Emirates’ wider aviation training network.
Emirates has invested heavily in training and professional development across its airline operations. Its training facilities include the Emirates Aviation College, Emirates Flight Training Academy, Emirates Aviation University and the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre.
The airline says these facilities provide training for its employees as well as, in some cases, professionals from the wider aviation community.
For cabin crew in particular, training at Emirates covers both classroom-based learning and practical exercises.
The airline’s training programmes include areas such as safety and emergency procedures, medical and security training, service, leadership, image and uniform standards. Practical training is conducted using full-motion aircraft simulators, allowing crew members to prepare for situations they may encounter during flight. ([Emirates][3])
Emirates describes its cabin crew as a global workforce recruited from more than 140 countries, with employees speaking more than 70 languages.
The airline currently has almost 25,000 cabin crew, all of whom undergo training in Dubai.
The scale of that training environment gives some context to Mkhonta’s achievement.
Emirates has continued expanding its training infrastructure as the airline grows. In September 2025, the airline opened a new Emirates Crew Training Centre in Dubai following a US$135 million investment. The facility includes six full-flight simulator bays and was designed to increase the airline’s annual pilot training capacity by 54 per cent, adding 45,000 training hours.
The airline’s training ecosystem extends across several areas of aviation. Its Emirates Flight Training Academy trains cadet pilots, while the Emirates Aviation University provides aviation-related academic programmes.
The Emirates Aviation College and specialist crew training facilities cater to a range of technical, operational and professional development needs.
Emirates itself has grown considerably since beginning operations in 1985 with two aircraft.
The airline now operates large wide-body fleets including Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s and serves a global network from its Dubai hub. Emirates says its operations are supported by extensive training programmes covering employees working both in the air and on the ground.
For Mkhonta, however, the graduation is personal. Her achievement has been followed closely in Eswatini, with members of the public and people within her circles taking to social media to congratulate her and wish her well.
Her own response has been one of appreciation for the support and happiness at reaching the milestone.
The response from home has also given the achievement a distinctly Eswatini dimension. While her training and graduation took place thousands of kilometres away in Dubai, the news has been received and celebrated back in the Kingdom.
Mkhonta’s journey also reflects the international nature of the aviation industry, where professionals from different countries can build careers within airlines that operate across continents.
For Emirates, training is a central part of maintaining the standards required across its international operation.
New cabin crew undergo an intensive training programme covering safety, emergency procedures, medical requirements, security, service and hospitality, as well as the presentation standards associated with the Emirates brand.
The airline also continues training its existing crew as part of its ongoing professional development and regulatory requirements.
For Mkhonta, completing the programme now provides another qualification and experience to carry forward as she continues building her career in aviation.
Her graduation also comes at a time when aviation continues to offer opportunities for young professionals looking beyond their home markets.
Emirates’ international workforce and training programmes have created a pathway for professionals from different backgrounds to work within one of the industry’s largest global operators.
While her messages of congratulations continue to reach her, Mkhonta has acknowledged the encouragement she has received from home and expressed pride in reaching the milestone.
From Eswatini to Dubai, the achievement has become a moment shared between a young aviation professional and a country watching her progress.
The graduation may mark the completion of her training programme, but for Mkhonta, it also marks the beginning of the next stage of her journey with the experience gained at Emirates behind her.
