In a first for Qatar Airways, an all-female crew operates a flight from Brussels to Doha

If on March 10, you flew on the Qatar Airways flight from the Belgian capital city of Brussels to Doha, you may have been surprised to notice a distinct lack of male staff on the plane.

It was a very significant event for Qatar Airways because the Airbus A350 plane was manned entirely by women staff, right from the pilot to the cabin crew, reported Gulf Times.

The airline had recently announced a ten-year partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the launch of the ‘IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards,’ which promote greater gender diversification in the aviation industry.

Qatar Airways has committed itself to support the awards for the next decade, as it recognises the need to encourage women to succeed and excel at all levels of the industry. The first winners will be announced at the IATA AGM in June.

“We're committed to promoting gender diversity, both within our airline and the industry as a whole. Our flight from Brussels to Doha is a testament to our wider goal of ensuring that women are equally represented at Qatar Airways and recognises that the most advanced societies include women in the highest ranks of leadership,” Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker was quoted as saying by The Peninsula.

Our scheduled service from @BrusselsAirport to Doha was operated entirely by 15 women. https://t.co/TwWJBtzooE #QatarAirways pic.twitter.com/05UGuC8vB1

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) March 12, 2019

“Women in transport are under-represented, constituting less than 5% of female pilots globally. We need to change this and strengthen women’s employment in the aviation sector. Qatar Airways’ flight with an all-female crew is an excellent example of how to bring down stereotypes and encourage more women to join the sector,” Violeta Bulc, the European Commissioner for Transport, told Qatar Tribune.

Speaking on the day of the flight, Member of the European Parliament Isabella De Monte, said: “Qatar Airways’ all-female crew flight departing today from the capital of Europe, the historical land of social rights and gender equality, highlights the airline's commitment to align with the spirit of the EU-Qatar Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement,” she said.

“Such an initiative sends a clear message to the world. Gender equality is about concrete actions, and I praise Qatar Airways’ commitment to making concrete steps in that direction,” De Monte added.