/Airline marks International Women’s Day with all-female crew
THOMAS Cook celebrated International Women’s Day with a flight crew made entirely of women.
The captain, first officer and seven crew members of the Thursday morning flight from Manchester to Gran Canaria were all female, as were the ground staff who saw the plane safely on its way.
The flight was captained by Jane Paros, who has been flying since 1990 and is also a training captain for Thomas Cook Airlines, with first officer Berglind RafnsdóttirTeasdale.
First Officer Victoria McCarthy also joined the flight to talk to customers on board.
The crew comprised Victoria Starkey, Faye Emanuel, Lindsay Dixon, Stephanie Ashall, Susanne Johnston, Victoria Britland and Kelly Adrio.
It comes as the airline announces the launch of its first scholarship for future female pilots.
It has joined forces with FTEJerez in a bid to attract more women to piloting.
The £30,000 scholarship will be co-sponsored by Thomas Cook and FTEJerez and is in honour of Elise Raymonde de Laroche, a French pilot and the first woman ever to receive a pilot’s licence, 108 years ago on March 8, 1910.
It is open to female applicants, who will be trained at FTEJerez as part of the airline’s mentored cadet pilot training programme.
First officer Berglind, who is also a member of the pilot recruiting team, said: “I think historically, people have seen pilots as being men. We need more women to challenge norms and keep our industry moving forward. It’s not just pilots but engineers and other roles in the industry, too. We need to go to schools, talk to girls and young women about the options available to them and show the many career opportunities in aviation and aerospace.”
Paul Hutchings, UK managing director and group airline director of operations at Thomas Cook Airlines, said: “With International Women’s Day and Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, there was no better time to fly an all-female crew and highlight that our industry is for men and women.
“We want to raise awareness of the many opportunities to build a career and encourage more women into the aviation industry at all levels.”
See ftejerez.com to apply . SINGAPORE Airlines flies from Manchester to Houston five times a week.
Manchester – Houston return fare flights in Premium Economy available from £1,015. Book by March, 31, 2018, at Singaporeair.com
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