Qatar Airways chief says only a man could do his job
The chief executive of Qatar Airways, who sits on the board of Heathrow airport, has inflamed a row over sexism in the airline industry by saying only a man could do his challenging job.
Akbar Al Baker made the comments moments after becoming chairman of the aviation industry body’s board of governors for a one-year term, Bloomberg News reported. At a press conference in Sydney, where the International Air Transport Association (Iata) held its annual meeting, he was asked what could be done to tackle the lack of women in Middle East aviation.
Al Baker replied this was not the
case at Qatar, before adding: “Of course it has to be led by a man, because it is a very challenging position.”
His comments met with loud groans of disapproval from many journalists in the room.
More than a third of Qatar Airways staff are female, he said, including pilots and senior vice-presidents. He added there was no gender inequality at the Gulf carrier, which has a close business partnership with British Airways. Qatar is also the largest single shareholder in BA’s parent company, IAG.
Asked whether he would welcome a female executive as chief executive, Al Baker, who has run Qatar Airways since 1997, said: “It will be my pleasure to have a female CEO candidate I could then develop to become CEO after me.”
Qatar Airways has long had an abysmal reputation for its treatment of its predominantly female cabin crew, at one time firing them for being pregnant.
The airline is believed to have eased some restrictions on the movement of its crew during non-working hours, which have included curfews, living in monitored accommodation and contractual bans on marriage without express company permission.
Al Baker’s elevation to Iata chair comes seven years after he launched a ferocious attack on the organisation’s leadership at the annual meeting, and four years after he hosted a sumptuous AGM in Qatar, surprising airline executives with a guest appearance by Kylie Minogue after the evening meal.
When the Iata board posed for a group photo last week, there was one woman among 26 airline chiefs – Christine Ourmières-Widener, the chief executive of UK regional carrier Flybe.
Some rivals have taken action to promote more women to senior positions. Two-fifths of Qantas Airways’ senior management is female, including the heads of the international and frequent-flier loyalty businesses, according to the airline’s chief executive, Alan Joyce.
Joyce said: “It’s the right business thing to do and it’s the right moral thing to do.”
SkyTeam appointed Delta executive Kristin Colvile as chief executive of the airline alliance this week.
Heathrow moved swiftly to distance itself from its board member’s comments. The airport’s chief executive, John Holland-Kaye,said: “Diversity and inclusion are part of our core values and I have no doubt that a woman could carry out my role. The comments made today are not shared by myself, or Heathrow airport.”
Qatar Airways and Iata were approached for comment.