How does India have twice as many women airline pilots as the US?

aljazeera ^ | 9 Aug 2022 | Ragini Saxena

[entropy12]

Nivedita Bhasin became the world’s youngest commercial airline captain in 1989, but the Indian pilot still recalls her early years when other crew would urge her to rush into the cockpit so passengers wouldn’t get nervous at the sight of a woman flying their plane.

Three decades after Bhasin’s career began, female pilots are no longer a rarity in India, making the country a success story when it comes to diversity in the airline industry. India has the highest percentage of female pilots globally, the International Society of Women Airline Pilots estimates, with about 12.4% of all pilots women, compared with 5.5% in the US, the world’s largest aviation market, and 4.7% in the UK.

[Valpal1]

A lot of women choose careers that are easy to leave and re-enter when the kids start school. Aviation isn’t one of them.

If you live in an extended family with grandmothers and aunties to solve your childcare issues, being a pilot becomes a lot more achievable and investing in the extensive and expensive training makes more sense.

[CodeToad]

Because they have twice the lower standards.

[BipolarBob]

We don’t need affirmative action airline pilots, brain durgeons, bridge builders, etc.

I want MY brain durgeon promoted and graduated based on meritocracy by and not affirmative action. ALL of my brain durgeons.

[Tax-chick]

Maybe this is because most US pilots used to come from the military.

I agree. In my lifetime, graduating from high school and deciding you're going to be an airline pilot for your career, as a civilian, just hasn't been a thing.

Maybe in India there's a clear path by which civilians, both men and women, go to flight training and then get hired by airlines.

[SunkenCiv]

Women have a better sense of smell, and India reeks.

[null and void]

Kameltoe didn’t even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

If she was at a Holiday In Express, she wasn't sleeping.

Just sayin'...

[Rummyfan]

Because they DO instead of running around in pink pussy hats crying about injustices that have already been conquered.

That's it!

[Osage Orange]

But do they have any very, very short people???

[moviefan8]

My Indian coworkers husband will have nothing to do with her or the kids. They live in the same home. Pure trash. Feel sorry for her and the two boys.

[\/\/ayne]

It’s a great place to look over the passengers and arrange a marriage with one of them for their child.

[null and void]

As long as I can walk away from a landing, I’m good with that.

In a pinch I'd settle for running away from a landing.

...and I do not run.

[Allegra]

I want MY brain durgeon promoted and graduated based on meritocracy by and not affirmative action. ALL of my brain durgeons.

LOL - I use durgeon eggs to make caviar.

P.S. I agree 100% with Socon-Econ’s comment about affirmative action crapola.

Why does anyone even care about how many female pilots India has?

[beef]

It could well be that women in India act instead of complain.

[Rummyfan]

.Some of the women were the most competent smartest nicest people i have ever met, and they were treated like dirt by the .indian men

Just met a beautiful Indian female MD in my building this week. She was very nice.

[alternatives?]

There never is a mention of the need to have an equal distribution by sex of military fatalities.

[griffin]

Have you seen them parallel park?

[Rummyfan]

A lot of women choose careers that are easy to leave and re-enter when the kids start school. Aviation isn’t one of them.

Starting out in commercial aviation can be brutal. My nephew-in-law decided to hire on with Southwest several months ago, this after almost ten years out of the Navy flying. He lives in Pennsylvania. First he had to complete train in Dallas. And has since been assigned to fly out of ... Los Angeles. That will go on for at least six months (and that's one heckuva commute). Seems all the East Coast slots are for more senior pilots. And flying short hops out of LA as the copilot doesn't pay that much either.

[Seaplaner]

I know some women pilots and they are truly excellent.

There are many career paths available to women in the US, and whether or not to pursue an aviation career (assuming basic qualifications) is really just self-selection, not victimhood.

There exists a shortage of ATP (airline) pilots, and physically and mentally qualified would be encouraged to start building hours to see if this is for them. (Sky's the limit.)

[Rummyfan]

I agree. In my lifetime, graduating from high school and deciding you're going to be an airline pilot for your career, as a civilian, just hasn't been a thing.

For one thing the training can bankrupt you.

[MinorityRepublican]

The push for "equal" proportions by sex, culture, or race is dangerous and dysfunctional.

To lead a large nation like USA, you need to be sort of an alpha male. Trump is one, obviously. So was George Washington.

Notable exceptions in modern history. Margaret Thachter and Golda Meir.