Aviation celebrates International Women’s Day

A file image of a Qantas engineer. (Qantas)

Industry body Aviation/Aerospace Australia has welcomed Lockheed Martin as a partner in its quest to encourage more women to consider a career in aviation as the world celebrates International Women’s Day.

Under the partnership, Lockheed Martin will support 60 aspiring female aviators to attend Women in Aviation/Aerospace conferences in New South Wales and Queensland during 2017.

These events, which have been running for five years, are designed to bring the industry together to address the gender imbalance in aviation.

Another advocate of having greater female representation in the industry is Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, whose airline group has 40 per cent of its staff women.

Joyce said in a column published on his Linkedin page on Wednesday 35 per cent of the Qantas group’s senior managers and 60 per cent of its most recent entrants to its graduate program were women.

“Over the long term, that means there’s a very good chance even more of our future leaders will be women,” Joyce said.

“I think that’s fantastic, because it sends the message that Qantas is a place where we’re clearing away the obstacles to talented women realising their potential – and giving them the chance to thrive on merit.”

Joyce’s full column can be read here.

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In December 2014, Qantas’s low-cost unit Jetstar became the first Australian airline to appoint a female chief pilot when Captain Georgina Sutton took up the role.

"Nothing broadens your horizons like a career in aviation." — Captain Georgina Sutton, Jetstar Airways Chief Pilot #IWD #womenwithwings pic.twitter.com/xVpSVcKCxB
— Jetstar Airways (@JetstarAirways) March 7, 2017

International Women’s Day falls during Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand has published a video on its YouTube channel highlighting the role women play across the airline, from head office to airport operations and on board the aircraft.

The airline said in a statement the number of women in its senior leadership team had grown from 16 per cent in 2013 to 37 per cent currently. The airline has set a target of 40 per cent to be achieved by 2020.

Air New Zealand said it had also established a network and set up a women in leadership program, among other initiatives.

“At Air New Zealand we have 4,900 women working right across our organisation from those in corporate to airports and operational teams right through to those who work on board our aircraft as pilots and cabin crew,” Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon said in a statement.

“We wanted to celebrate these women on International Women’s Day and during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week and are incredibly proud to share this video which highlights and celebrates the fantastic contribution they make to our business.”

A look at how some have marked International Women’s Day on social media.

Proud moment! Bangladesh Biman will fly with all-women crew today. Happy International Women's Day? #IWD #aviation
https://t.co/uOanr8aNp7
— Onchita Shadman (@OShadman) March 8, 2017

Before #women marched for voting rights on March 8 #IWD, @WomenOfAviation were already breaking barriers. Celebrate https://t.co/olUfZwC0pi pic.twitter.com/N3KjOIUBLX
— iWOAW (@WomenOfAviation) March 1, 2017

Women help power our union – today we salute our sisters who fight for a fairer, better industry #IWD pic.twitter.com/WP3326RnjQ
— TWU Australia (@TWUAus) March 8, 2017

First Female Pilot of a Major US Commercial Airline: Bonnie Tiburzi, 1973. International Women's Day #IWD #aviation pic.twitter.com/oHcaUjYo1O
— Jim Harris (@JimHarris) March 7, 2015

International Womens' Day: Airlines to operate all-women crew flights #avgeek https://t.co/bi53lFjKhs via @economictimes
— k.srinivasan (@cruisingheights) March 8, 2017

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