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IWD 2024: All-female teams take off with Qantas, Jetstar & Virgin Australia, with gender gap focus

Australia’s major airlines are marking International Women’s Day 2024 (IWD 2024) with a series of special flights operated by all-female crews.

Australia’s major airlines are marking International Women’s Day 2024 (IWD 2024) with a series of special flights operated by all-female crews.

At Virgin Australia, the country’s first female pilot of a major airline, Deborah Lawrie AM, is set to commandeer a special flight between Melbourne and Brisbane. 

For the second straight year, flight VA313 will spotlight more than 30 women in various airline roles, from pilots to ground crew, united in a collaborative effort between Virgin Australia, Melbourne Airport, Brisbane Airport and Airservices Australia.

The initiative comes nearly 45 years after Lawrie’s landmark victory in a High Court discrimination case that opened doors for women in aviation.

Joining her is training captain Paley Williams, who has helped train countless pilots during her 21-year tenure with Virgin Australia. 

The flight, scheduled to depart Melbourne at 8:10 am and arrive in Brisbane at 9:20 am local time, serves as more than a journey; it’s also an opportunity for the all-female crew to engage with over 50 aspiring female aviation students at an IWD 2024 networking event. Here, they’ll share insights and inspiration on pursuing careers in aviation. 

Pushing for progress

Virgin Australia crew
IWD 2024
Virgin Australia crew during IWD 2024

One of two female CEOs of Australia’s major airlines, Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said IWD 2024 provided a chance to think about how far the sector has come and what lies ahead.

“It was less than 45 years ago that we had no female pilots flying commercial jets in Australia, so to see this come to life with wonderful female role models at every touchpoint makes me tremendously proud of the achievements of women in aviation and how far we have come,” Hrdlicka said.

“Today is about inspiring the next generation of women and showcasing the diverse jobs aviation can offer so that we can continue to push for progress in our sector and drive greater gender equality, which is really at the heart of International Women’s Day.” 

Virgin Australia First Officer Deborah Lawrie said she was happy to see more women choosing careers in aviation.

“To be in the company of so many remarkable women today celebrating together is a full circle moment, and it is one I hope serves as inspiration for people from all walks of life to pursue the many diverse and rewarding careers aviation can offer,” she stated.

Gender disparities

Qantas in Sydney.
IWD 2024
A Qantas plane in Sydney.

Meanwhile, Qantas and Jetstar are also marking IWD 2024 by operating three domestic flights staffed entirely by women. From pilots and cabin crew to ground teams and dispatch coordinators, women will lead every aspect of these flights. 

The Qantas initiative aims to highlight the career opportunities for women in aviation and underscore their vital position in the industry.

Traditionally, aviation roles leaned heavily towards men, with women primarily in cabin crew and service positions. 

But while progress has been made, the industry still grapples with gender disparities. Globally, men dominate roles like pilots and engineers, with women representing only a fraction of these resources. 

The Qantas Group, for instance, reports that 93 per cent of its pilots and 96 per cent of its engineers are men.

However, through targets and initiatives, the Qantas Group says it is committed to bridging this gender gap and fostering a more inclusive aviation sector.

Qantas will operate QF401 Sydney to Melbourne departing at 6am, with Jetstar operating a return flight from Sydney to Gold Coast taking off at 7.10am (JQ402 Sydney-Gold Coast and JQ405 Gold Coast-Sydney).

“My great hope”

“I’m really proud to be operating this flight on International Women’s Day to represent some of the amazing women who work in Australian aviation,” Qantas Captain Camille Macpherson said.

“Aviation offers incredible opportunities for women, whether it’s in the cabin, the hangar, or the flight deck. It’s my great hope that young girls will see us walking through an airport terminal or onboard an aircraft and consider a career in aviation.”

Qantas Group Chief People Officer Catherine Walsh said the airline prioritises increasing gender diversity in all of its operational roles.

Qantas

“It’s good for our culture, means our workforce is more representative of our customer base and also means we can draw from the biggest talent pools,” she remarked.

“Becoming a pilot takes years of training and increasing the number of female pilots isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s also not something that generally starts after university, it starts in school. We need to encourage more girls to select STEM subjects that support a technical career.

“We’re expanding our outreach into schools to promote aviation as a career, which hopefully results in more girls choosing subjects that put them on track to join us in the cockpit or hangar in the future.”

Read Karryon Features Editor Gaya Avery’s take on IWD 2024, gender pay gaps, flex work and more.