As many of you are away, Akbar Al Baker of Qatar Airways made an idiot level statement about women in executive roles at the IATA AGM (and I urge you listen to the interview)
The audible gasp from the crowd as @qatarairways GCEO and @IATA Chairman Akbar Al Baker “jokes” only a man can be a CEO is amazing. Listen for yourself. @Qantas CEO Alan Joyce cutting him off was both good and bad, I suppose. #IATAAGM #iawa @WomenInAviation @WomenOfAviation pic.twitter.com/rrrFND3G5E
— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) June 5, 2018
Well it seems that the PR Effort to roll this back is well under way, with an apology issued by Akbar Al Baker via Qatar Airways.
H.E Mr. Akbar Al Baker: I would like to offer my heartfelt apologies for any offence caused by my comment yesterday, which runs counter to my track record of expanding the role of women in leadership throughout the Qatar Airways Group and has been sensationalised by the media. pic.twitter.com/M07Wczk08B
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) June 5, 2018
I’m sorry. Sensationalised by the Media? If you’re going make a comment like that – it’s going to go wild.. And again – I URGE you listen to the audio of this. You’ll hear an audible gasp when Akbar Al Baker makes comments, with Alan Joyce of Qantas trying to make a joke and move the subject along.
And this is NOT a Qatar Airways problem – this is an IATA problem now. Akbar Al Baker was elected as the chairman of IATA Board of Governors on the 5th June, and currently will hold it until the next IATA AGM. How IATA will manage this will be something to watch.
There’s been plenty of opinion pieces out today (from Runway Girl, PaxEx.Aero, BBC News, Bloomberg, Reuters and so on.
I’m less than impressed to be honest, and this apology has come way too late – and should had come from IATA (Whose press releases are more than rather quiet).
Perhaps at Qatar Airways press conferences, instead us asking “when Premium Economy Seats will be coming to Qatar Airways”, maybe the question should change to “When will see more women in senior positions within Qatar Airways?”
Header image – the “apology” issued by Akbar Al Baker by Qatar Airways.
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