easyJet is today operating a special flight with an all-female crew. EZY8275 left London Gatwick this morning bound for Madrid with a female Captain, First Officer and four female cabin crew.
Additionally, a large proportion of the ground staff at London Gatwick Airport responsible for boarding the plane and getting it off the ground were also female.
The flight was captained by Kate McWilliams, 27, the world’s youngest female commercial Captain and co-piloted by first officer Sue Barrett. Cabin Manager Laura Marks was supported by three female cabin crew; Natasha Baker, Charlotte Carr and Nuria Belda Marco.
The flight was operated on easyJet’s special A320 aircraft named after renowned female aviator Amy Johnson.
Ground staff too
Several female ground staff were also involved in getting the easyJet flight boarded and away from stand including;
* Gate Agents Helena Curley and Ewa Alhutayfi – performing Boarding checks and procedures for each flight and pass final customer figures to the TCO and Captain.
* TCO (Turn Coordination Officer) Lynne Pont – responsible for the turnaround of the aircraft itself
* Headset Operator Catherine Sims – responsible for the safety of the aircraft during the pushback from stand onto the taxiway and in direct communication with the flight crew and Pushback Tug driver.
* Fueler Lucy Gorna – responsible for ensuring that the correct fuel is safely loaded onto the aircraft and in accordance with the figure requested by the Captain.
* Cleaners Laura Heron, Emese Lenkey, Sheila Monteith, Marie Claire Lynx and Alison Seth- responsible for ensuring that each aircraft is cleaned internally
* De-Icers Maria Carr and Bethany Woods – When required, responsible for ensuring that the critical surfaces of the aircraft are clear of contamination such as snow & ice, prior to departure.
* PRM Officer Kirsty Butler– When required, responsible for assisting all our customers with reduced mobility from their arrival at the airport, until they are on board the aircraft. This includes use of motorised buggies, and scissor-lift vehicles to access the cabin.
Global day
Captain Kate McWilliams, said, “International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the achievements of women so we thought this all female flight would be a very fitting way to celebrate the achievements of the many women working in the aviation industry. There are more than 15 women who are making this flight possible today in positions from pilots and crew to gate agents and fuelers.
“This year’s IWD theme is #BeBoldForChange to help forge a better working world which is more inclusive and gender equal. This year easyJet has set an ambitious target of increasing the proportion of its female pilots aiming for 20% of new intake pilots by 2020. The aviation industry is exciting and challenging and I firmly believe that there should be absolutely nothing to stop women from entering into a career in aviation.”
International Women’s Day 2017
