When Qatar Airways Cargo flight QR8960 took off from Doha en route to Shanghai on March 5, it might have seemed like a routine cargo run. Yet it was anything but. That’s because the flight marked the first time a Qatar Airways Cargo freighter aircraft has operated with an all-female crew and all-female ground staff.
To celebrate the occasion, several female staff members from Qatar Airways Cargo participated in a group photo session, donning purple vests and expressing their solidarity with women all over the world. According to the company, the color purple represents justice and dignity, and is associated with International Women’s Day, a global holiday that highlights the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
“As a woman who has worked in the industry for over 20 years, I am proud to see the great strides females have made in the field of aviation and air cargo,” Elisabeth Oudkerk, senior vice president cargo sales and network planning for Qatar Airways Cargo, said in a release. “It is an industry that has so many opportunities and so many varied roles. I encourage any woman looking for a career in this industry to pursue their dream.”
