Women Lead Aviation's Robot Revolution at Major Airports

Zahra Merchant isn't just thinking about the future of air travel. She's building it with robots at one of Europe's busiest airports.

As Chapter Lead of Robotics at Royal Schiphol Group in Amsterdam, the young leader represents a growing wave of women shaping aviation innovation. Her journey began with her mother, who held senior roles at a major airline, making aviation feel like home. But Zahra found her own path through design school in Glasgow, where she reimagined air travel itself for her graduation project.

"Imagination becomes leadership when you can turn it into something others can build on," she explains. That creative thinking landed her a dream internship at Schiphol Airport's Innovation Hub, where she merged her passion for design with real airport operations.

Today, Zahra leads robotics projects where innovation meets the daily reality of moving millions of passengers. She's not alone in breaking new ground. Women now lead innovation at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Vancouver Airport Authority, and Rome's airports, among others.

The progress feels real to Zahra. "I genuinely feel I now have access to the same opportunities as my male counterparts, and that matters," she says. In the Netherlands, women lead as COO and Chief Product and Technology Officer at Schiphol, and as CEO of KLM.

The Ripple Effect

This visibility creates something powerful: possibility. When Zahra first joined a call with Future Travel Experience to speak at an industry event, she worried her age and lack of a grand title would work against her. Instead, she found respect and an engaged audience ready to hear her ideas.

That experience showed her the industry is shifting toward valuing innovation over hierarchy or gender. But she's honest about the work still needed, especially in less glamorous areas like baggage handling where she often remains the only woman in the room.

The bigger challenge might be awareness itself. "Until I stepped into this role, I didn't even know these opportunities existed," Zahra notes. Young women can't pursue paths they don't know are there.

By leading robotics innovation at a major international airport, Zahra and leaders like her are doing more than improving passenger experience. They're proving what's possible and lighting the way for others to follow.