To mark International Women’s Rights Day, celebrated on March 8, 2024, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s leading aviation group, organized, as it does every year, an all-female flight. This year’s flight was from Addis Ababa to London Heathrow, with Captain Kalkidan Girma, Ethiopia’s first female Airbus A350 captain, as lead pilot.
The flight was preceded by a ceremony organized at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, to pay tribute to the contribution of women in the aviation sector, under the theme “Empowering Women: Connecting Africa”.
On this occasion, Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, said: “I would like to proudly acknowledge the invaluable role of women in the success of Ethiopian Airlines. As strong advocates of gender equality, we are honored that professional women excel in all facets of our operations, demonstrating outstanding performance and dedication in their fields. Today, we shine the spotlight on these pioneering women who are not only shaping the legacy of Ethiopian Airlines, but also inspiring future generations of women in aviation. As usual, we are delighted to announce the launch of our all-women flight to London to mark the day.”
On arrival in London, the delegation visited iconic London landmarks and held fruitful discussions with authorities and diplomats.
Ethiopian Airlines, whose policy encourages the recruitment of female pilots, has been organizing all-female flights to celebrate March 8 every year since 2015. To date, the airline has served Bangkok, Kigali, Lagos, Buenos Aires, Oslo and Washington DC, among others, with an all-female crew.
A message of equality
The captain of this year’s flight, Captain Kalkidan Girma, said: “This all-female flight initiative not only empowers women, but also sends a strong message about gender equality. We want to inspire future generations of women aviators, and we continue to lead the way in promoting gender equality in the aviation industry”.
The first Ethiopian woman to pilot an Airbus A350 since 2020, Captain Kalkidan Girma joined Ethiopian Airlines in 2011. Before flying the Airbus A350, she was a Boeing 737 captain. Since 2015, she has taken part in all the all-female flights organized by the airline. Last year, Captain Kalkidan Girma was in charge of the all-female flight between Addis Ababa and Oslo, Norway, to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
The Ethiopian Airlines Group employs several professional women in various fields of activity, including male-dominated sectors such as pilots, aviation technicians, etc. Since 2015, its organized flights to different parts of the world operated entirely by women, says the company, testify to women’s professionalism and capabilities. “From cockpit to cabin, women are leading the way, demonstrating our commitment to diversity, inclusion and excellence in aviation,” the airline said.
Worldwide celebration
Elsewhere in the world this year, other airlines also organized flights operated entirely by women to mark March 8th. National carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) organized nine all-female flights to domestic and international destinations.
For its part, Sri Lanka Airlines operated its all-female, round-trip flight from Colombo to Singapore on an Airbus A330.
For its part, Air India operated 15 flights with all-female crews on board.
