A flight run by an all-female team from pilots to cabin attendants has jetted off to inspire the next generation.
Captain Sanne Gibson and Senior First Officer Michelle Herberts, both 30, co-piloted the flight with the help of their crew – Paulin, Oliwia, Maria, Jessica and Monica.
The pair hope to break down gender barriers and prove that there is a place for women in historically male-dominated industries.
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Both Sanne and Michelle found that they weren’t taken seriously at the beginning of their aviation careers.
But they set off from London Luton Airport to Lublin, Poland, on Saturday (8 March), which also happened to be International Women’s Day.
And now the sky’s the limit.
“I do feel like I have to prove myself more, being a woman in this industry,” Michelle, who has lived in the UK for the past three years but is originally from Antwerp, Belgium, told What’s The Jam.
“It has taken a lot of hard work to build a reputation where you are viewed as an equal.
“But hard work does pay off – being well prepared, motivated and dedicated to my work has taken me far.”
Sanne, who moved to the UK in 2017 from Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, says she had a similar experience.
She said: “My career advisor once suggested I stay away from pursuing a career as a pilot as it was a male-dominated industry.
“They thought that people would walk all over me, and this comment made me hesitate.
“I chose to go to university instead but quickly realised this wasn’t for me.
“I dropped out of university and applied to flight school and it felt like a bold and slightly reckless move.
“It turned out to be the best decision I ever made.”
Sanne, who is a mother-of-one, had her first flying lesson as a gift for her 18th birthday.
But Michelle, who graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree in Orthopedagogy and Applied Juvenile Criminology, didn’t find her passion for flying until a little bit later.
Both of her parents worked in the aviation industry and she finally became interested during her final year of university.
Sanne and Michelle both moved to the UK so that they could work for Wizz Air.
The airline’s percentage of female crew increased to 5.4% in 2024, up from 3.1% in 2014.
It hopes to raise the percentage to 7% by 2030.
According to statistics, only 5-8% of pilots worldwide are women.
Sanne said: “Flying with Michelle on International Women’s Day was an absolute delight.
“She’s hardworking, assertive, positive and a true role model for women in aviation.
“For any young woman with dreams of becoming a pilot, my advice is simple – stay true to yourself and just go for it.
“The sky is the limit.”
Michelle said working with Sanne was a “pleasure”.
She said: “Sanne is living proof that it is possible to be an amazing professional airline captain and an amazing mother.
“I look forward to flying again with her in the future.”
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