Brussels Airlines supports International Women’s Day with and all-female flight crew to Marseille

On the occasion of International Women's Day, an all-female crew flight will depart from Brussels Airport to Marseille on Tuesday, March 8. Brussels Airlines is committed to diversity in all its departments, as diverse perspectives lead to better decision-making. In its top management, 37.5% of positions are held by women. On International Women's Day, the company puts extra emphasis on the number of women and their roles in the organization. Under the theme "break the bias," the company wants to encourage men and women to put aside prejudices about typically male or female professions.

Under the theme "#Breakthebias", everyone worldwide is asked to imagine a world without prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination; a world that is diverse, just and inclusive; a world where differences are valued and celebrated. Brussels Airlines supports the initiative and wishes to highlight the important role of women in aviation.

With an all-female crew, Brussels Airlines flight SN3597 is on its way from Brussels to Marseille. Captain Ann and First Officer Mio take place in the cockpit. Purser Vanessa and cabin crew members Aurélie and Katrien take care of the service and safety in the cabin. With this symbolic flight, Brussels Airlines wants to draw extra attention to gender equality in aviation.

"My dad was a pilot and I really wanted to follow in his footsteps. I remember very well how, thirty years ago, I said "I'm going to be a pilot." People laughed, "You? Pilot? That is why I am particularly proud today that a flight with two women in the cockpit at Brussels Airlines is no longer an exception.  Even though at Brussels Airlines we are with more than 10% female pilots well above the average percentage worldwide, we still have to increase that number significantly. Not only here but also in other countries, where becoming a female pilot is often still not an option at all. It is therefore important to continue to fight for equality in the cockpit and in other professions that are still too often seen as typically male. I hope that today, together with Brussels Airlines, we can inspire girls and women to make their dreams come true and choose the profession they really want to do, even if it is not an obvious choice."

- Ann Van Grieken, Captain A320 at Brussels Airlines

 

In addition to women in the cockpit and other operational roles, Brussels Airlines also values gender diversity in its management. IATA (International Air Transport Association) has set the goal of having at least 25% women in top management roles in all airlines by 2025. At Brussels Airlines, the target is 35%. In reality, however, women hold 37.5% of the positions in Brussels Airlines' top management today. In general, the male-female split at the Belgian carrier is 51.5% women, with the cabin crew departments (71.5%) and airport staff (75%) having the highest proportion of women. In the cockpit, the proportion is 10% at Brussels Airlines, where the industry average is between 4 and 5%. Also in the Maintenance & Engineering department, a still male dominated world, 4% of Brussels Airlines employees are women.

 

 

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About Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines is the home carrier of Belgium and one of the four network airlines of the Lufthansa Group. It connects the European capital from Brussels Airport with over 90 destinations, 18 of which are in Sub Saharan Africa. The company employs more than 3,500 people and operates 44 aircraft.

Brussels Airlines aims to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019 and plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. The airline is participating in the Stargate Project led by Brussels Airport and is therefore part of the testing ground for sustainable aviation at its home base. In addition, the airline signed the Circular Economy agreement of the Antwerp Management School in 2021. The airline was the first to transport Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through the CEPS-pipeline connecting Brussels Airport early 2023. By end 2024, Brussels Airlines will have welcomed five state-of-the-art Airbus A320neo allowing the airline to significantly lower its CO2- and noise-emissions on its medium-haul network.

As an ambassador of its country, Brussels Airlines brings the world to Belgium and the best of Belgium to the world, among others through collaborations with Belgian Star Chefs, Belgian culinary products and the Belgian Icons, specially painted aircraft that honour a Belgian iconic person, team or event to promote Belgian culture worldwide.

More information on brusselsairlines.com 


About Star Alliance

Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 17,500 daily flights to over 1,150 airports in almost 190 countries.

More information on staralliance.com

Contact

b.house Zone General Aviation - Airport Building 26 1831 Diegem

+32 2 723 89 90

press@brusselsairlines.com

www.brusselsairlines.com