The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that 59 airlines have committed to its “25by2025” campaign which seeks to address gender balance in civil aviation.

The campaign was launched on 26 September, with participating airlines making a voluntary commitment to the following goals:

• increasing the number of women in senior positions (to be defined by the member airlines) by either 25 per cent against currently reported metrics, or to a minimum representation of 25 per cent by 2025;
• increasing the number of women in under-represented jobs (eg pilots and operations) by either 25 per cent against currently reported metrics, or to a minimum representation of 25 per cent by 2025;
• reporting annually on key diversity metrics.

Collectively, the 59 airlines that have currently committed to the campaign represent 30.2 per cent of passenger traffic, covering both traditional and low-cost airlines. The initiative has resonated around the globe, with signatories coming from all continents; Europe (36), followed by Asia-Pacific (10), the Americas (7) and Africa & the Middle East (6).

“Our passengers come from all walks of life, represent different cultures and genders and yet the industry itself does not represent the diverse world we live in today. We know this needs to change. I welcome the 59 airlines that have committed to 25 by 2025. It’s an encouraging step forward in this important journey and I look forward to many more joining the campaign,” said IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac.

The next phase of the campaign will focus on collecting data on the key areas signatories have committed to: the number of women in senior positions (as defined by the airline); the number of women in underrepresented areas within the airline (eg pilots, maintenance and engineering), and the number of nominations and appointments to IATA governance groups.

IATA is also measuring and reporting on the number of women in senior positions, and the number of women represented in industry meetings. The findings will be shared during IATA’s Annual General Meeting and Air Transport Summit in Amsterdam in June 2020.

Find out more about IATA’s gender balance campaign at iata.org.