Female British Airways pilots tell of the good humoured jokes they have faced

‘I was asked if I needed help reversing the plane!’ Female BA pilots describe prejudices they face as they take charge of flying fleet around the world

  • Female pilots from British Airways tell of prejudice as they take the controls
  • BA is pushing for the number of female pilots to increase to coincide with International Women’s Day
  • Women have revealed some of the adverse reactions they get from male passengers 

Female British Airways pilots have revealed jokes from men about their jobs as they told about working in a ‘man’s world’ for International Women’s Day today.

Pilot Jess Arnand told Mail Online: ‘We’ve been asked by a group of passengers if we’d like any help reversing the plane! 

Female British Airways pilots like Amie Kirkham have revealed men’s jokes about them as they told about working in a ‘man’s world’ for International Women’s Day today

Jess Anand, Senior First Officer, A320 at London Heathrow, told how she went plane-spotting with her dad as a child and became hooked on flying during her first lesson while  at university

Jess Anand, Senior First Officer, A320 at London Heathrow, told how she went plane-spotting with her dad as a child and became hooked on flying during her first lesson while  at university

‘On another occasion, a man informed us that he had a private flying license and offered us his assistance if we needed it – it was safe to say that we didn’t take him up on his offer!

‘It’s quite easy to laugh off such remarks, as most are said in jest.’

The commercial pilot who works out of London’s Heathrow Airport told how she went plane-spotting with her dad as a child and became instantly hooked on flying during her first lesson while at university. 

Amie Kirkham, who comes from a family of pilots, said: 'My most exciting flight was when I was flying solo at 6,000ft around the Phoenix desert in Arizona in a light aircraft'

Amie Kirkham, who comes from a family of pilots, said: ‘My most exciting flight was when I was flying solo at 6,000ft around the Phoenix desert in Arizona in a light aircraft’

Amie added: 'My career highlight was a cute six-year-old girl wearing a full pilot's uniform she wears whenever she flies visiting the flight deck once after landing into Heathrow from Milan, Italy. She told me her dream was to be become a British Airways pilot'

 Amie added: ‘My career highlight was a cute six-year-old girl wearing a full pilot’s uniform she wears whenever she flies visiting the flight deck once after landing into Heathrow from Milan, Italy. She told me her dream was to be become a British Airways pilot’

She added: ‘Flying isn’t about bravado or wrestling a heavy machine through the sky. Women shouldn’t change their image or behaviour to fit into a ‘man’s world’. You can be female and proud and you can still be a pilot like I am.’

Her colleague Amie Kirkham – who comes from a family of pilots and joined BA three years ago – said: ‘My career highlight was a cute six-year-old girl wearing a full pilot’s uniform she wears whenever she flies visiting the flight deck once after landing into Heathrow from Milan, Italy. She told me her dream was to be become a British Airways pilot.

‘My most exciting flight that I’ll never forget was when I was flying solo at 6,000ft around the Phoenix desert in Arizona in a light aircraft.

Jess opened up about men's funny reactions to them piloting an aircraft when she said: 'We've been asked by a group of passengers if we'd like any help reversing the plane!'

Jess opened up about men’s funny reactions to them piloting an aircraft when she said: ‘We’ve been asked by a group of passengers if we’d like any help reversing the plane!’

She added: 'Flying isn't about bravado or wrestling a heavy machine through the sky. Women shouldn't change their image or behavior to fit into a 'man's world'. You can be female and proud and you can still be a pilot like I am.'

She added: ‘Flying isn’t about bravado or wrestling a heavy machine through the sky. Women shouldn’t change their image or behavior to fit into a ‘man’s world’. You can be female and proud and you can still be a pilot like I am.’

‘I first sat in a flight deck seat at a very young age and that sparked my passion in becoming a pilot. I remember telling my school, aged 10 and wearing my father’s BA Captain’s uniform, that I wanted to fly a jumbo jet one day.’

British Airways enters this its centenary year and International Women’s Day with more female pilots than any other UK airline with over six per cent.

It’s aiming to recruit more with initiatives such events where teenagers are invited to experience flying an aircraft simulator, meet female pilots and to learn the challenges they face in the skies, to help inspire them into joining the profession.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk