On a slightly chilly Friday night (March 8); the flight SN467 landed in Kigali from Brussels around 7:20 Pm before continuing off to Entebbe. From pilots to cabin crew, engineers to load controllers and flight dispatchers, the flight was operated by women. This highlighted the integral role played by Brussels Airlines’ female workforce.
Brussels Airlines’ Country Manager in Rwanda, Coline Everard, observed that the event was an opportunity to raise awareness on Gender equality in the Aviation Industry.
“Although 51.7% of our workforce is female, you’ll find that some positions like pilots still have few women, being 10.2% of the company’s pilots. Thus, today was an occasion to raise awareness about gender inequality in Europe as well as in Africa,” Everald said
Everald who is also the first women Country Manager of the Airlines in Rwanda said that she was proud to represent other women, especially in a country that is earnest to see gender equality and women empowerment.
First Officer Katty Wellekens echoed Ms. Everald’s remarks, saying that women should believe in themselves and their dreams. ‘Piloting is for women too, not only men.’
Brussels Airlines advocates equal rights between men and women and – from a broader perspective – a more inclusive world in general.
“I really feel equal to my male colleagues at work and I actually don’t really think about it that much. Never have I had the feeling that I couldn’t go forward with my career because I’m a woman. Although there are moments when it looks like I have a very different approach to some things, that just seems appreciated. No matter if you are a boy or a girl, man or a woman, every job is made for everybody, as long as you love what you do!” said Isabelle Careme – Cabin repair Technician at Brussels Airlines.
The Airline, which is very visible in Africa, strives to support all employees, men, and women, to ensure that every colleague can reach their full career potential while maintaining a good work-life balance.
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