This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The chief executive of Qatar Airways, who sits on the board of Heathrow, has inflamed a row over sexism in the industry by saying only a man could do his challenging job.



Akbar Al Baker made the comments moments after becoming chair 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.

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Al Baker replied this was not the case at Qatar Airways, 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.

The airline later issued a formal statement from Al Baker, who has run Qatar Airways since 1997. “While I am known in the media for some lightheartedness at press conferences, it is crucial that I emphasise the facts as I did today and the importance of women representatives in the airline industry.

“Qatar Airways firmly believes in gender equality in the workplace and our airline has been a pioneer in our region in this regard, as the first airline to employ female pilots, as one of the first to train and employ female engineers, and with females represented through to senior vice president positions within the airline. With a female work force of more than 33%, as I mentioned today, it would be my pleasure if I could help develop a female candidate to be the next CEO of Qatar Airways.”

The Gulf carrier has a close business partnership with British Airways, and is also the largest single shareholder in BA’s parent company, IAG.

It 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.

Alexandre de Juniac, the director general of Iata, admitted that only two women sat on its 31-member board of governors: Christine Ourmières, the CEO of UK regional carrier FlyBe and Maria Jose Hidalgo Gutierrez, the CEO of Spanish airline Air Europa. He said this reflected an industry in which only 3% of chief executives were women.

“We don’t underestimate the scope of work needed to address the gender challenge— covering process, policy and mindset,” he said. “A combination of individual action by airlines and collective action as industry will move us in the right direction.”

Al Baker’s elevation to the 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.

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.

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Joyce said: “It’s the right business thing to do and it’s the right moral thing to do.”

SkyTeam appointed the Delta executive Kristin Colvile as the 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.”