March 8275 "Women's Day" and easyJet pink flight to celebrate. The British low-cost company thus operated a special flight with an entirely female crew from London to Madrid. Flight EZY320 operated with an Airbus AXNUMX left London Gatwick Airport this morning with a captain, first officer and four female flight attendants. In addition, a large proportion of the ground staff responsible for embarkation at Gatwick Airport were women.
In command of the Airbus A 320 Kate McWilliams, 27, the youngest female commercial commander in the world, and co-piloted by first officer Sue Barrett. Cabin manager Laura Marks was supported by the three flight attendants Natasha Baker, Charlotte Carr and Nuria Belda Marco. The easyJet A320 aircraft selected for the occasion is named after the famous female aviator Amy Johnson.
Before setting off, Captain Kate McWilliam said: "International Women's Day is a world day that
celebrates the achievements of women, so we thought this all-female flight was a very fitting way to celebrate the achievements of the many women who work in the airline industry. There are more than 15 women pilots, crew, gate agents and fuelers making this flight possible today.”
“The first woman to fly a solo plane took off in 1908 – added the 27-year-old easy jet commander – only 5 years after the first flight of the Wright brothers, and most people have heard of Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson . Women have been involved in the history of aviation from a very early age, the total number of female pilots is steadily increasing as is the number of male pilots, however leaving the total percentage of flight crew essentially unchanged at 3%.
female. It's hard to think of another career profile where women are so under-represented, so I would encourage anyone to think about a career in aviation. It's the most rewarding career I could hope for."
In 2015, women made up 6% of easyJet's new pilots and 5% of its total pilot community. In October 2015 easyJet launched its Amy Johnson initiative, with the goal of doubling the number of new female pilots entering to 12% in two years. The initiative was a real success, with over 600 applicants, so easyJet was able to reach its 12% target in just one year. These women have either started flying with easyJet or are on courses starting in the coming weeks. A new target of 20% has been set by 2020. This is a long-term strategy, which will hopefully bring in many more female drivers.
