DINOSAUR AIRLINES!
Sexism uproar after the head of Qatar Airways says a woman could never do his job because it’s ‘a very challenging position’
THE head of Qatar Airways has said a woman could not cope with his job as it is too ‘challenging’.
Loud groans of disapproval greeted the comment by Akbar Al Baker just after he had become chairman of the air industry’s board of governors.
It came during a press conference when he was asked what could be done to address the lack of women in Middle East aviation.
He insisted there was no problem with gender inequality at Qatar Airways, where he is chief executive, as nearly half of the staff are female. But Mr Al Baker added: ‘Of course it has to be led by a man because it is a very challenging position.’
When asked if he would welcome a woman as chief executive, he attempted to backtrack, it was reported by Bloomberg News.
‘It will be my pleasure to have a female CEO candidate I could then develop to become CEO after me,’ the 55-year-old told the media in Sydney, Australia.
Mr Al Baker sits on the board of Heathrow Airport while Qatar Airways is the largest single shareholder in IAG, the parent company of British Airways.
Qatar Airways, run by Mr Al Baker ker since 1997, has previously been criticised for its treatment of mainly female cabin crew.
At one time, they were fired for being pregnant but the airline backed down to offer temporary ground jobs to mothers-to-be.
The firm was also criticised for telling female crew to notify bosses if they planned to marry within five years of being taken on.
Some restrictions on staff during their leisure time are believed to have been eased, including strict curfews and having to live in monitored accommodation.
Mr Al Baker also sparked controversy last July by calling US airlines ‘crap’ with cabin crews made up of ‘grandmothers’. While making a speech in Ireland, he went on to boast: ‘The average age of my cabin crew is only 26.’ Qatar Airways later apologised.
Mr Al Baker, who is married to wife Samira and believed to have two sons, has met some of the world’s most powerful people.
He shook hands with the Queen at the opening of Heathrow’s Terminal Two in 2014.
The airline boss was seen joking and laughing with future US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a Qatar Airways gala in New York in 2007. At the same event, Mr Al Baker was pictured with singer Diana Ross and actress Julianne Moore. In April, he met British film star Idris Elba at a Formula E event in Paris.
His latest high-profile remarks were made after he was unveiled as the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the next year.
They come as business leaders are under growing pressure to reduce gender inequality and boost the number of women in senior roles.
This is felt acutely in the aviation industry, which has long faced accusations of sexism.
Low-paid cabin crew jobs have traditionally been dominated by women while highly-paid pilots and senior executives are mostly men. Only one of the six members of the executive board at Qatar Airways is female.
In March, figures from the IATA revealed how just 3 per cent of chief executives in the industry are female. They include Christine Ourmieres-Widener, of Flybe, but Carolyn McCall has recently left easy-Jet to run ITV. Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association said: ‘People should be chosen on their ability to do the job alone.’
Yesterday Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: ‘Diversity and inclusion are part of our core values and I have no doubt that a woman could carry out my role. The comments made today are not shared by myself or Heathrow Airport.’
A spokesman for IAG, run by former BA boss Willie Walsh, added: ‘IAG encourages greater gender equality at all levels.’
Mr Al Baker later said in a statement issued by the airline: ‘Qatar Airways firmly believes in gender equality and our airline has been a pioneer as the first to employ female pilots, one of the first to employ female engineers and with females represented through to senior vice-president positions.
‘It would be my pleasure if I could help develop a female candidate to be the next CEO.’