"That Was on Purpose" — Female Pilot Says Airport Gate Agents Always Ask If She's a Flight Attendant
By Mustafa GatollariMay 7 2023, Updated 9:33 a.m. ET
Airline pilot uniforms are distinct and they are designed to be straight away recognized through both airport staff and commuters alike. These outfits are in most cases decorated with pilot's wings and come with stripes to suggest other ranks so there is not any mistaking who is in charge of commanding a vessel on any given day.
This truth is almost certainly why TikToker Sabrina Johnson, who posts underneath the deal with @sabrinaleej went viral after she was once asked through an airport attendee if she was once a flight attendant, in spite of walking in the course of the terminal rocking a pilot uniform.
In Sabrina's clip, she seems to be into the camera whilst chewing gum with AirPods in her ears. She writes in a textual content overlay: "Gate agent looked me in the eye today asked if I was the flight attendant (Common occurrence)."
Its jarring to me because they work at an airport. You know what the pilot uniforms are 😭 #pilotsoftiktok #airlines #fyp #bruh
♬ Miss You (Sped Up Version) - _ Source: TikTok | @sabrinaleejAccording to analytics accrued by Zippia, there is a large disparity between the choice of male as opposed to female pilots. Only 29.3 % of the "29,065[+] pilots currently employed in the United States" are women.
Sexism in the airline business dates again to the early days of airline commute, with ads featuring "risque" marketing fabrics depicting ladies in both provocative, sexually alluring, or subservient positions to be able to attraction to precise power dynamics that choose traditionally male-centric sensibilities.
Female flight attendants within the '70s rallied in opposition to mistreatment of girls within the aviation trade and even introduced groups to help champion for girls's rights within the place of work to put them on equivalent footing with male counterparts.
Nevertheless, female pilots have systematically had their careers "blocked" by way of the "old boys club," consistent with a March 2022 document from Airport Technology. In the item, pilot Marnie Munns discussed the phenomenon at period and referred to as for further range amongst pilots, especially when one considers that, globally, simplest 5.26 p.c of all pilots are female.
"Training is the first point of contact for the next generation of pilots and if we want to attract the best talent, we need to ensure we appeal to everyone with the right abilities irrespective of gender, ethnicity or age," Munns said.
"A much more diverse training department will ensure that there are visible role models and a more inclusive training environment for all," she endured.
TikTokers expressed their shock and disapproval of the remedy the pilot won from the airport employee who mistook her for a flight attendant.
"With three stripes? Nah that was on purpose," one viewer commented.
Some steered it was once a teaching moment. "Ask them if they are new and tell them you will explain how to [differentiate] the uniforms so they don’t embarrass themselves again."
Others steered returning the insult. "Ask them if they’re the janitor," one answered.
Even people who are flight attendants have been insulted on Sabrina's behalf. "As a flight attendant, I’m offended for you. Unacceptable. They KNOW our uniforms."
Many thought it was perhaps no longer a decent mistake: "But the uniform is so different... they knew what they were doing."
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