Aviation: How African Airlines, ET, KQ and Precision Operated All Female Flights to inspire Girls
Africa’s largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines has said its all-female flight crew from Ethiopian Airlines flew from Addis Ababa to Washington D.C. is aimed at inspiring African girls that the aviation industry is not an exclusive preserve of men.
According to the voanews.com, to celebrate International Women’s Day, an all-female flight crew from Ethiopian Airlines flew from Addis Ababa to Washington D.C. The flight marked the sixth consecutive year the airline has made the symbolically important flight with a female crew.
“Ethiopian Airlines aims to show African girls that there are no professions reserved for men only and inspire them to have no limits to their dream of becoming anything they set their hearts to,” said Rahel Assefa, marketing vice president for the airline. “In short, as we say back home at Ethiopian, on this day we fly to inspire.”
The largest airline in Africa has made hiring women a priority and said 40% of its employees are female including 32% of management positions. The airline has female pilots, aircraft technicians, engineers, flight dispatchers, load controllers and ramp operators.
Rahel said too often on the African continent girls are taught that their only worth is to be married and live a domestic life.
“When their brothers are sent off to schools, girls are mostly held back at home, to help out as well as groomed on how to be a good wife, a good mother, a good homemaker,” she said. “Much work is needed to educate parents and communities in general, that their daughters can be anything and everything their sons can.”
Captain Amsale Gualu, who piloted the transatlantic flight, became the first female captain in Ethiopian history in 2010. She said it is important for women to support one another in fields whether they are underrepresented.
“The main thing is networking. Women should have a connection among one another and exchange ideas,” she told VOA’s Amharic service. “The other thing is supporting each other. For example when we fly with an all-female crew, even when there are standard procedures, there are things that make you happy.”
Amsale said at the time of the first all-female flight in 2015, there were only eight female pilots at the airline. Today, she said, there are 20 with another 24 training in aviation school.
“The change has come. Women support each other, we have our own groups and we show that it is possible. And by supporting each other, showing that it is achievable is our responsibility,” she said.
‘Educate a woman, educate a nation’
Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S. Fitsum Arega said the country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has made it a priority to promote women to positions of power. His cabinet is made up of 50% women and the country now has a female president and chief justice of the supreme court.
“There’s an African proverb that says, ‘if you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation,’” Fitsum said.
He added that empowering women is a boost to the nation’s economy.
“When half of the population is empowered with higher education and actively engaging in the workforce in the formal economy, this accelerates technological innovation, productivity and economic prosperity, which in turn will have a far-reaching multiplier effect on families, communities and the entire nation,” he said.
Hostess and team leader on the flight Bizuayehu Yilma said there was a special feeling on board. She hopes it inspires women worldwide.
“Any woman can reach any position she aspires to reach,” she said. “This is not charity but the duty or the responsibility of all. Everyone should support us. This is a show of our strength and how we can stand on equal footing. So I think that we have given a big education to all.”
Also, Kenya Airways operated an all-female cockpit crew Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight from Nairobi to New York.
According to atwnews.com, the almost 15 hour non-stop flight is currently en route and led by Captain Irene Koki Mutungi. The other pilots are Captain Parul Patel, and First Officer Sumanpreet Rehal.
Furthermore, Precision Air, Tanzania, also operated an all-female crew flight using an ATR aircraft. The flight crew was headed by Captain Specioza Rweyemamu.
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Allan Kilavuka, has said the airline operated an all-female flight to mark the International Women’s Day and also to recognize the contribution of its female employees to the aviation industry in general.
According to capitalfm.co.ke, the chief executive officer said the airline’s policy is to offer equal opportunities to all. “We celebrate all our employees and we are proud that close to 50 per cent of our workforce are women.”
Kenya Airways literally flew into the International Women’s Day with a special treat to its female stars, including pilots and engineers.
The airline dispatched two flights-to New York and Lusaka-on Sunday with women pilots and crew members in a special treat in recognition of the important day for women marked Globally.
Celebrated female Captain Irene Koki Mutungi was in charge of a special Women’s Day flight that departed Nairobi for New York on Sunday morning, with three female pilots on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the fourth pilot being first officer Patrick Kipsambu.
The cabin crew was a 50/50 split. Koki was the first African female pilot to fly the Dreamliner.
Captain Koki said, “It has been amazing, having been the only woman pilot for six years, and now we have over 30 women pilots in Kenya Airways, it says a lot about our airline, which is a mid-size airline, and I think percentage wise we must be one of the highest employers of women, which is great for Africa and the world.”
The national carrier’s flight to Lusaka was all-female crew led by Captain Patsy Ouma.
One of the flights to and from Mombasa was also all-female crew with Captain Fiona Ngumi in Charge.
According to the United Nations Women, the theme for International Women’s Day 2020 is “I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights.”
Josphine Omenda, a senior engineer at Kenya Airways said that when she joined the airline, engineering was a male dominated field, but now women are taking up that calling without fear.
Josephine whose job entails engine servicing and maintenance said, “Women are now being accepted in this field and technology has made our work easier. You do not have to be muscular to do what I am doing now.”
Her colleague, Leah Andeso, a senior engineer at Avionics Workshop was upbeat too. “I would encourage young women aspiring to join engineering to go for it with determination and passion. So many of us have done it, they can do it better.”
And according to the Airline’s Chief Human Resource Officer, Evelyne Munyoki Kenya Airways believes in fair practice and makes sure that opportunities are available to everyone in the organization without discrimination.
