Breaking The Invisible Ceiling

IATA has launched a new initiative designed to result in more women piloting airplanes, more men serving in the passenger cabin and more women making key decisions at the executive level, reports Quebec editor, Mike Dunbar in this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.

Dubbed 25by2025, the initiative was first mooted last September as a collective effort to bridge the gender gap in several areas but principally at the senior level, both in the industry and within IATA itself.

Jane Hoskisson, the association’s director of learning and development told a recent Geneva press briefing: “The industry is diverse in so many ways: From a cultural point of view and from the gender point of view, yet there are systemic issues that we need to address to make it truly diverse and inclusive.”

She explained: “IATA, as a body representing some 290 airlines decided to act upon it and, since September we have worked on bringing the initiative to life.”

But she stressed: “25by2025 is meant to encourage, to collaborate, to engage in dialogue and by no means is it to be used by airlines to compete against each other.”

For the full story, check out this week’s issue of Canadian Travel Press.