Airlines need to do more to attract women pilots, engineers and executives if they are to cope with the industry doubling in size in the next 20 years.
Iata senior vice-president Paul Steele said: “We have to attract a lot more pilots and engineers. We have to attract more women.
“We’re not doing a good job at the moment. There is not one woman CEO on the IATA executive.”
Steele told the World Tourism Forum in Lucerne on Friday: “Today we’ll transport 10 million passengers and operate 100,000 flights. Those numbers are going to double in 20 years. Where are the people going to come from?”
He said: “There is a positive trend – 6.6% of US pilots are female, but 12% of student pilots are women. However, we need to do a lot more.”
There are currently 10 women running airlines, with Carolyn McCall at easyJet the most high profile.
Rob Gurney, chief executive of airline alliance Oneworld, said: “I don’t think there is resistance in the industry to recruiting women. Whether aviation is attractive [to women] is probably more of a factor.”
Steele suggested the problem isn’t pay or benefits, arguing: “Jobs in aviation typically have a higher value than in the broader economy.
“The issue is it takes a long time to train a pilot or air traffic controller. Do people have the commitment to do that?”
He added: “Flying ought to be one of the most aspirational things to do, but traditionally it has been about boys and their toys. We have to make sure there are no subliminal biases.”
Michael Kerkloh, president and chief executive of Munich Airport and a board member of airports council ACI, argued: “There is a trend among women, but also among men, not to do something technical. Everyone wants to do marketing.
“But we have female CEOs of airports now. Politically there is a focus on getting women into top jobs. There is pressure to find the right woman. Sometimes there are not enough [to choose from].”
Steele said: “To an extent we are a victim of our own success. Airlines have become commoditised. The impression is it has become a routine industry. It used to be glamorous. Now it is hard work.”
But he insisted: “There are huge opportunities. We are going to double in size. We are going to see incredible changes in technology. There are tremendous opportunities to be at the leading edge.”