Not so friendly skies for women pilots in Asia
by By Regan Morris
http://www.travelweeklyweb.com/article-194-notsofriendlyskiesforwomenpilotsinasia-TravelWeekly.html
4 July 2000 When Helen Richey of Pennsylvania became the first woman to pilot a commercial airliner on December 31, 1934, the media hailed the event as a "dawn of women coming of age" but it looks like they were premature.
While many airlines worldwide employ and recruit women pilots, in Asia, many airlines still lock women out of the cockpit.
Singapore Airlines does not employ women pilots, although the company said it is not necessarily a policy.
When asked if the airline hired women pilots, an SIA spokesman told travelweeklyeast.com "no we don’t".
"It’s not a policy," the spokesman said.
"But so far, they haven’t hired any."
I guess it doesn’t need to be a policy considering SIA’s subsidiary Singapore Flying College does not accept female applicants.
When a female reporter at travelweeklyeast.com called the flying college to request an application she was told, "I’m sorry the college is not open to ladies."
Makes you think twice about an airline that calls grown women "Singapore Girls" instead of flight attendants.
But many airlines in the region do employ women pilots.
"Yes, Air New Zealand does hire women pilots. One of our senior international pilots is a woman," said airline spokeswoman Anita Moreira.
In Hong Kong, both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair hire women pilots.
"We currently have two women pilots," said Dragonair’s manager of corporate communications Laura Ayson. "Rosa Chak joined us as a cadet pilot in 1988 and was promoted to Captain in March 1998. Rosa was the first female airline Captain in Hong Kong. The second is first officer Julie Dill who is an Australian.
"You might find this interesting as well. On April 26 this year, we had a flight operated by an all-female crew in the cockpit and cabin. I'm pretty sure it's another first for Hong Kong."
When asked if Malaysia Airlines hires women pilots, a spokesman for MAS said "No". He didn’t elaborate.
It’s hard to believe it’s the year 2000 and women still have such a long way to go.