Wizz Air empowers gender diversity with its inaugural ‘Women On Air’ event

Wizz Air recently launched the inaugural 'Women on Air' event, a pioneering forum for WIZZ employees that took place in Budapest.

A press release from Wizz Air described the initiative as a testament to the airline’s commitment to gender diversity and empowerment within the aviation industry, noting this had traditionally been a male-dominated field.

Wizz Air’s first of its kind 'Women on Air' forum brought together 140 participants in Budapest and featured a lineup of distinguished female leaders holding various positions from captains and first officers to senior executives of the airline, aircraft leasing and manufacturing companies, representatives of industry authorities and diplomats. These trailblazers shared their personal journeys and perspectives on diversity and inclusion, discussed leadership, work-life balance, building confidence and overcoming challenges both in the flight deck and the corporate environment.

The 'Women on Air' forum aligns with Wizz Air’s broader efforts to cultivate diversity and inclusion within the organization and in the aviation industry, the airline's announcement said.

It continued that the airline is actively working towards increasing the representation of women in all functions, with 65% of female cabin crew and 5% female pilots across its network. At the same time, Wizz Air aims to achieve 7% of female flight crew, which is supported by its 'She Can Fly' Pilot Academy programme, creating a pathway for career growth and success of female pilots.

Yvonne Moynihan, Corporate and ESG Officer at Wizz Air, said, "We are proud to pioneer the 'Women on Air' initiative as part of Wizz Air’s ongoing commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the company and the aviation industry in general. By providing a dynamic platform for female leaders to share their experiences and insights with the WIZZ team, we aim to inspire, empower and pave the way for the next generation of aviation professionals.”

Sharing insights on the personal journey in aviation from a military pilot to the boardroom, Charlotte Pedersen, Board Member of Wizz Air, noted, “Aviation is, despite many efforts, still lagging behind other industries when it comes to gender diversity. It is therefore important that we continue to focus on both inspiring and motivating more women to join our sector. And we also need the women to step up into the leadership career – thereby creating a more inclusive environment for everyone. In this regard, the power of having visible role models at all organizational levels cannot be underestimated. Wizz Air’s 'Women on Air' forum is a great opportunity for discussion and collaboration, where the participants can learn from each other, find inspiration, and explore the opportunities for career development.”

According to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022-2023, Wizz Air is Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally.