Air Peace has inaugurated its first all-female flights from Lagos to Owerri, en-route Abuja, to promote gender equality in the nation’s aviation industry, NAN
reports.
The Boeing B777-300 aircraft piloted by Simisola Ajibola and assisted by Senior First Officer Quincy Owens landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 3.29 p.m. amidst pomp and pageantry from aviation stakeholders.
The aircraft also departed Abuja and touched down at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri at 6.00 p.m. where it was welcomed with a ceremonial water salute.
Speaking at a brief ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, commended Air Peace for joining the league of airlines that had operated flights with an all- female cockpit, cabin crew members, engineers and flight dispatchers.
Mr Sirika, represented by Talba Alkali, Director, Safety and Technical Policy, Ministry of Transportation, said the feat had shown that the airline was gender friendly.
According to him, this is the first time a Nigerian airline is carrying out an all-female flight with a high capacity aircraft, adding that lower capacity aircraft were used by both Arik Air and Aero Contractors in previous occasions.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said over 20 per cent of key positions in the airline were being held by women, who had demonstrated that they had the capacity to deliver.
Mr Onyema said the airline had employed about 2,000 workers since it began operations over three years ago, stressing that about 1,500 of the employees were women.
The Air Peace boss commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for the support given to domestic airlines, especially the recent removal of the Value Added Tax on transportation and waivers on the importation of aircraft spares.
On her part, Ms Ajibola thanked Air Peace for giving her and her colleagues the opportunity to conduct the historic flight, adding that Nigerians should get used to having women in the cockpit.
reports.
The Boeing B777-300 aircraft piloted by Simisola Ajibola and assisted by Senior First Officer Quincy Owens landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 3.29 p.m. amidst pomp and pageantry from aviation stakeholders.
The aircraft also departed Abuja and touched down at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri at 6.00 p.m. where it was welcomed with a ceremonial water salute.
Speaking at a brief ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, commended Air Peace for joining the league of airlines that had operated flights with an all- female cockpit, cabin crew members, engineers and flight dispatchers.
Mr Sirika, represented by Talba Alkali, Director, Safety and Technical Policy, Ministry of Transportation, said the feat had shown that the airline was gender friendly.
According to him, this is the first time a Nigerian airline is carrying out an all-female flight with a high capacity aircraft, adding that lower capacity aircraft were used by both Arik Air and Aero Contractors in previous occasions.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said over 20 per cent of key positions in the airline were being held by women, who had demonstrated that they had the capacity to deliver.
Mr Onyema said the airline had employed about 2,000 workers since it began operations over three years ago, stressing that about 1,500 of the employees were women.
The Air Peace boss commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for the support given to domestic airlines, especially the recent removal of the Value Added Tax on transportation and waivers on the importation of aircraft spares.
On her part, Ms Ajibola thanked Air Peace for giving her and her colleagues the opportunity to conduct the historic flight, adding that Nigerians should get used to having women in the cockpit.
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