What Do You Say To Sexist Passengers? This Female Pilot Has The Perfect Response.
This female pilot is using Twitter to call out two sexist passengers.
A British aviator who is known online as Charlotte The Pilot hit back at two male passengers who’d insulted women pilots on a recent flight:
Had such a lovely day flying with an 👌 crew.
Baffled as to why 2 male pax felt that these comments were nescesarry.
‘I wont make any jokes about female drivers then’
‘Are you the pilot? If I’d know that I wouldnt have got on’
Fact is, I can fly an £80m jet, you can’t.— Charlotte (@pilotcharlotte) May 20, 2018
“Baffled as to why 2 male pax felt that these comments were necessary,” Charlotte Knowlson wrote, before sharing their sexist remarks about women flying aircraft.
″‘Are you the pilot? If I’d know (sic) I wouldn’t have got on,’” she writes in a tweet, attributing the quote to one of the passengers.
“Fact is,” she responds. “I can fly an £80m jet, you can’t.”
In subsequent tweets, Knowlson revealed her initial response was to “be professional, laugh and ask them if they were enjoying the flight.” She rethought her stance, however, after a flight attendant “expressed her anger.”
The kind of attitude exhibited by those passengers puts women off pursuing careers in male-dominated industries, she said. Knowlson added that she “didn’t get where I am today by listening to these kinds of comments.”
“I’m not offended, I’m not disheartened,” she wrote. “I’m saddened by the fact that this is the attitude some still have and think it is ok to make these comments to women.”
Check out the full tweet thread here:
Being used to this kind of humour, my reaction of course was to be professional, laugh and ask them if they were enjoying the flight. It wasn't unit later when a cabin crew member expressed her anger at the comment that it made me think. Why is this normal?
— Charlotte (@pilotcharlotte) May 20, 2018
It is this attitude that puts women off and another barrier stopping them from going into male dominated careers. It shouldn’t even be a thing!!! I am a pilot he is a pilot. See, there is no difference ..... #pilot
— Charlotte (@pilotcharlotte) May 20, 2018
I didn’t get where I am today by listening to these kinds of comments. I’m not offended, I’m not disheartened. I’m saddened by the fact that this is the attitude some still have and think it is ok to make these comments to women.
— Charlotte (@pilotcharlotte) May 20, 2018
Knowlson did not say which airline she is affiliated with. She did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.
But her tweets about sexism in the industry touched a nerve with her 12,500 Twitter followers. It prompted others to share their own inspirational stories on the social media platform:
My BADASS daughter flies this for her weekend job & FW for her day job. VERY proud. I just passed the 30 year mark & still flying so she’s got a ways to catch dad! pic.twitter.com/3RvQrky9Lp
— Kurtis Houk أحمد (@KurtisHouk) May 20, 2018
Charlotte tweeted this a couple of days ago. I totally agree with her sentiments. Some of the best and most talented pilots I have ever flown with are women. These outdated views and stereotypes only make the person saying them look bad. Don’t let them bother you Charlotte.😄👍🏻 https://t.co/hErWvOXtCC
— Captain Dave (@DaveWallsworth) May 21, 2018
My wife’s a pilot, every time she flies she gets a ‘well done dear’ or similar from holidaymakers.
None of the troops she flew into Bastion or Kandahar felt the need to patronise her.— Danø 🇬🇧 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿 (@DanoDXB) May 20, 2018
@pilotcharlotte hey Charlotte. Would be proud to have you as my pilot anytime im on a plane. #noteveryoneislikethem casual sexism is not ok.
— Daniel Buscini (@buscini) May 22, 2018
At 14, my eldest daughter could fly better loops than me. She went on to six years operational flying as a Tornado F3 WSO. Here's a couple of pics. Low level in Scotland, refuelling down in the Falklands. pic.twitter.com/41oh6cigMi
— James Smith (@c_mperman) May 20, 2018
As a longtime private pilot (who has had several female flight instructors), I'm always glad when I hear a woman's voice saying, "Good afternoon, this is your captain.." Keep it up, and set an example for many more!
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) May 20, 2018
I was on an @AirCanada flight not long ago and when I heard the First Officer’s female voice my heart soared. You don’t just make jets fly, you make dreams airborne too.
— Ruth Mitchell (@drruthmitchell) May 20, 2018
Well, if they don't like women pilots they're free to get off & walk.
— chiller ★ (@chiller) May 20, 2018
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