QR Cargo celebrates International Women’s Day with an all-female freighter flight

Qatar Airways Cargo celebrated a landmark flight on Sunday 5 March as its scheduled Boeing 777 freighter from Doha to Shanghai was operated entirely by a crew made up of women.

From the ground staff overseeing and handling the cargo to the flight deck crew operating the flight, this is the first time a Qatar Airways Cargo freighter aircraft has operated with an all-female crew and all-female ground staff.

Captain Sarah Abigail Comerford from the United Kingdom, First Officer Edith Mala Diop from France, and First Officer Hedfa Mohammed Al Marri from Qatar operated the flight. The Boeing 777 freighter departed from Doha with 100 tonnes of cargo destined for Shanghai.

Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer of Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo said, “I am proud to have such a diverse workforce within Qatar Airways Cargo. We are committed to promoting gender diversity and that women are equally represented in our workforce, which is why we can proudly say we have almost 50 percent of women in various age groups and roles working globally for Qatar Airways Cargo."

“Women not only promote inclusivity and diversity in the workplace, but they also bring in creativity and success to a business. Our success as the world’s leading air cargo carrier is due to the hard work and talent of all our employees and this includes the female staff we are so proud to have within our business,” he added.

Elisabeth Oudkerk, Senior Vice President of Cargo Sales and Network Planning, at Qatar Airways Cargo added, “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. 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.”

To celebrate the special occasion and the contributions and achievements of women worldwide, several female staff from Qatar Airways Cargo participated in a group photo session donning purple vests and expressing their solidarity with women all over the world. The color purple represents justice and dignity and is associated with International Women’s Day.

Embrace Equity is the theme for 2023 International Women’s Day. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of how much progress has been made while also highlighting the work still left to be done for the advancement of women worldwide.