Only ‘3 percent’ of world’s commercial airline pilots are women

Not more than three percent of the world’s commercial airline pilots are women and only 450 of them have attained the rank of captain, Huffington Post reports.

EasyJet, a British low-cost airline carrier, is currently working on increasing the number of female pilots.

The company says women are 6 percent of its new pilot intake and 5 percent of its total pilot community.

“There is nothing that is gender specific about the role apart from perhaps preconceptions that is a ‘man’s job,” said Kate McWilliams, a 26-year-old pilot who works with easyJet.

“The key skill is decision making and management – women in other industries excel with these skills and there are some great leaders in industry.”

Carolyn McCall, easyJet chief executive, noted that “fifty years ago almost all professions were dominated by men and over the last five decades there has been significant progress in almost every sector with women entering and attaining senior positions in professions like law, medicine, education, finance and politics”.

“We would like to understand why this is and to do what we can to redress the balance.

“I’ve spoken to so many women so say ‘I would love to be a pilot but…’. My response is always ‘But why not?

“If you really want to do it then there is nothing to stop you other than your own belief in yourself”, McCall said.

EasyJet is Europe’s second-largest low-cost carrier, flying on over 600 routes to more than 30 countries across Europe and North Africa.