The Right of Passage? The Experiences of Female Pilots in Commercial Aviation

Abstract

A poststructural feminist approach was adopted to investigate commercial aviation and the experiences of female pilots in a large international airline based in Europe. The study aimed to examine critically the difficulties faced by female pilots. The data were collected from in-depth interviews with 23 female and 17 male commercial airline pilots. The article argues that commercial aviation continues to be dominated by masculine values and practices, which result in the earlier stages of women’s careers being treated as ‘a rite of passage’. The first women to join the airline experienced sexism, harassment, high visibility and isolation. Although the extent of the difficulties has declined over time, the experience of dealing with sexism and adapting to the masculine culture continues to influence the attitudes of female pilots, especially towards gender and equal opportunities. The article challenges the impression created by the aviation literature regarding the degree of acceptance of female pilots in commercial aviation and summarizes the recommendations made to management in relation to its equal opportunities policy.