Airlines are marking International Women’s Day today, with Norwegian announcing eight ‘Tail Fin Heroes’ and British Airways encouraging schoolgirls to become pilots.
Norwegian said portraits of eight renowned British women will adorn the airline’s tail fins – joining Amy Johnson and Jane Austen, who already feature on the carrier’s aircraft.
The new ‘Tail Fin Heroes’ will be mathematician Ada Lovelace (pictured); writers Virginia Woolf and Charlotte Brontë; suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst; pioneering nurses Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole; tennis player Lottie Dod; and scientist Rosalind Franklin.
Anne-Sissel Skånvik, chief communications officer at Norwegian, said: “It is a huge honour to have these renowned women adorn our aircraft and to pay tribute to some of the greatest British women of all time.”
The airline’s other British tail fin heroes include author Roald Dahl, footballer Bobby Moore, singer Freddie Mercury, aviation maverick Sir Freddie Laker and explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Meanwhile, BA invited 100 young women to its Global Learning Academy to learn about careers as a pilot.
BA employs more female pilots than any other UK airline, and more than 6% of its flight crew is female – above the national average.
Girls aged between 14 and 18 from 30 schools across the south east visited BA’s training centre to meet some of the airline’s female pilots and experience flying an aircraft in a flight simulator.
BA first officer Ramnique Goring said: “As a female pilot, I see it as part of my role to inspire more young women to consider taking up this fantastic career, where women are underrepresented.”
Angela Williams, BA’s chief people officer, said: “Events like this are vital for young girls as it shows them that becoming a pilot is an achievable career ambition.”