Airlines have a gender problem

▶ Why industry’s annual shindig should serve as a wake-up

Australia’s Qantas Airways has challenged plane makers Airbus and Boeing to produce long-range jets by 2022 that are able to fly from Sydney to London or New York.

Ultra-long-haul routes turned into a hot topic during the International Air Transportation Association meeting in Sydney last week as airlines fretted over rising fuel costs threatening their profits.

The new generation of super-long-haul jets, designed to fly between nearly any two points on the globe, will pose a challenge for the Middle East’s hub model when they come into service in the next decade.

During the three-day meeting of international airlines, they promised to facilitate the participation of more women in the aviation sector.

Panel after panel of suited male executives talked of the importance of bringing more women into key positions in an industry that woefully lacks female representation, with some pointing to their own airlines’ efforts towards gender equality.

Yet despite the marathon talks, no concrete steps or specific targets were outlined

Only 3% of global airline chief executives and 8% of chief financial officers are women, according to Iata

to boost the number of women working in the industry.

On the last rain-soaked day of the Iata meetings, the participants’ mood turned indignant after Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker said his job would be too challenging for a woman to do. Executives and journalists debated whether or not he was joking as the social media firestorm raged.

Mr Al Baker, who was named chairman of Iata’s board of governors, issued an apology the next day after criticism by global media.

The problem of gender inequality in the ranks of aviation executives is not new and is prominent in the Middle East.

Only 3 per cent of global airline chief executives and 8 per cent of chief financial officers are women, according to Iata.

The real test of progress for airlines, beyond stretching the range of aircraft or introducing ultra-luxurious first-class cabins, will be how they will leverage the pool of talented women who can benefit the business and encourage girls to opt for the necessary Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in school.

Whether airlines stick to their vows to improve gender equality remains to be seen at the next Iata annual meeting scheduled next year in Seoul, South Korea.