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Fit-for-purpose inclusivity

Equality, diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry are being sought by stakeholders at every level. In this second of two articles, Bernie Baldwin learns how equality and equity are being approached and whether hurdles are appearing.

30 July 2026 12 min read

There are many initiatives being enacted across the aviation industry aimed at achieving equality, diversity and inclusion. Some are moving well towards their goals, others less so (as noted in Part 1 of this piece).

One of the points to be clarified in this work is whether the goal should actually be equality or whether it should be equity for all. The difference between the two is not always recognised.

On the equality vs equity issue, The World Economic Forum explains: “Equality means that we treat everyone equally – each person or group of people is given the same resources and opportunities. Equity means that we provide resources and opportunities that fit the specific needs or circumstances of that person or group, and in that way, we can reach an equal outcome.”

So, how do industry figures feel the difference between the two is appreciated and practised by the aviation industry? Faye Malarkey Black, president and CEO of the US trade body the Regional Airline Association (RAA), looks at the dilemma from a pilot training angle. “Today the career is not equally accessible,” she stresses. “Student loans are a great equaliser in this nation, but the inherently high cost of flight education puts total education costs as much as $80,000 or higher above the ceilings on federal student loans.

<img alt="Faye Malarkey" src="/getasset/ff8d42c8-c5ae-48c6-9a29-6ca30f9563db/" />

Photography courtesy of RAA

“Thus, families with some degree of wealth – that is, either savings or the means (repayment capabilities, good credit) to access private lending – can access the career by writing a cheque. Those without those advantages try to patch together part-time jobs while they are training, which is tough to do if you have a family already – and takes a long time – or they work first jobs and save for their dream of becoming a pilot. 

“Clearly there’s a first-degree harm for people with lesser means, and the large racial wealth gap in the United States puts the burden more heavily on non-white families,” Malarkey Black emphasises. “But there are secondary harms. If one has to work several jobs to become a pilot, or have a first job to afford training for an aviation job, then the career start is deferred. Today, the median age of a new-hire pilot is mid-thirties. That’s when many women are starting families, which starts to disadvantage those families as well.”

While acknowledging that the aviation industry has indeed made progress regarding equality/equity, Daniel Rüdel, vice-president and spokesperson, European Pride in Aviation Network (EPAN), believes there is much to be done in terms of practical implementation. “While some companies have implemented diversity and inclusion initiatives, many of these initiatives have focused on equality. Equity, however, requires a deeper understanding of the specific needs and circumstances of different individuals and groups,” he notes.

<img alt="Dan" src="/getasset/986cc563-ad25-4519-bb81-21e2f733080a/" />

Photography courtesy of EPAN

“Practising equity requires a more nuanced approach that takes into account factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status. This requires a willingness to engage in difficult conversations and a commitment to understanding the unique challenges faced by different individuals and groups,” Rüdel continues. “At EPAN, we believe that equity is essential to creating a more inclusive aviation industry. That's why we are committed to providing tailored resources and opportunities to support the needs of our members, and to working with the industry as a whole to promote equity and diversity.”

Allison McKay, CEO of Women in Aviation International (WAI), is another who believes that aviation has finally recognised the need for equity over equality. “At WAI, that is evident by the funding of our robust annual scholarship programme. Since the WAI scholarship programme was established in 1995, WAI has awarded more than $15.4 million to help fund members’ aviation/aerospace career interests and pursuits. There has also been more funding by industry for scholarships to other diversity groups as well,” she reports.

<img alt="Allison image" src="/getasset/3129a570-3e8a-40d5-b384-08bb49381e5e/" />

Photography courtesy of WAI

Highlighting that equity was the main message of International Women’s Day in 2023, EasyJet’s head of inclusion and diversity, Marc McKenna-Coles, is confident that the concept is becoming better understood and put into practice. “We can definitely learn from other industries who have been able to make a real difference across many facets of diversity by better understanding the importance of equity,” he remarks.

<img alt="EASYJET" src="/getasset/2da6daee-b6b2-4ce7-af1e-46c7eec64660/" />

Photography courtesy of EasyJet

“The conversation on equity is fairly new and has only started to become more apparent in organisations, especially those who are improving diverse representation. At EasyJet, we are introducing equity to underpin the practicalities of creating an inclusive culture, but also how we keep challenging ourselves on building a more reflective employee base, and be reflective of the customers and communities we serve,” McKenna-Coles says.

Viewed from the position of those with reduced mobility, particularly passengers (PRMs), things are far from rosy. “Very simply put: Air travel says a lot about accessibility, but does very little,” declares aviation accessibility consultant, Christopher Wood, the founder of Flying Disabled.

<img alt="Chris Wood 625 x 350" src="/getasset/dac53bc1-ea83-4fcb-ad54-ba77fec990c6/" />

Photography courtesy of Flying Disabled

While not seeing active pushback against progress towards equity, a lack of commitment is seen as frustrating. “Innovation is needed to solve these challenges. There is much innovation/investment in biofuels, composite fuselages, IFE and so on, but no great investment when it comes to accessibility,” Wood adds. “The Air4All system innovation – which enables the use of powered wheelchairs on board aircraft – has the backing and investment of a seat manufacturer.” 

<img alt="Wheelchair Design" src="/getasset/806f947c-120b-40de-9dfe-7064e903a821/" />

Photography courtesy of Air4All 

Flying Disabled is a partner in the Air4All alongside leading cabin design house, PriestmanGoode and aircraft regulatory certification specialist SWS. Wood notes that the Air4All system’s design was shortlisted for the 2022 Crystal Cabin Awards and he says the prototype will be available to view by appointment at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Exhibition (AIX) in Hamburg in June 2023.

<img alt="Air4alldesign " src="/getasset/7f02ec57-9d58-47a2-8caa-e8c2f182eb7f/" />

Photography courtesy of Air4All

WAI’s McKay has observed pushback against equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. “A segment of our aviation community feels that diversity initiatives are somehow threatening the safety of our industry. We therefore use data and statistics to prove that is false – by including a wider group of the population in this industry, it will only strengthen safety and growth of this industry,” she asserts.

Efforts to prevent a larger portion of the population accessing careers is exactly what RAA’s Malarkey Black has witnessed. “Unfortunately, some influential stakeholders prefer the moat around aviation careers – particularly pilot careers – to be large and deep, with the idea that a limited supply of workers will be able to command higher salaries,” she relates. “Pilots are, and deserve to be, well compensated. Nonetheless, we need to firmly reject this kind of thinking. 

Malarkey Black is resolute in pushing her cause. “I believe every stakeholder, from airline executive to new frontline worker, to member of Congress, has a duty to push back against those who would try to set the career aside for a limited few. Even where this is not intended, the effects are the same – smart, talented young people are locked out of these transformational careers because they lack the financial or other means to access training for them.

“The good news is that this kind of thinking is being challenged by more and more people both inside and outside of the profession,” the RAA chief states. 

At the European Pride in Aviation Network, Rüdel confirms that pushback has been encountered from individuals or groups who may not share EPAN’s values or goals. “One area where we have experienced this is in raising awareness around issues of diversity and inclusion. Some people may feel uncomfortable or defensive when confronted with issues of privilege or bias, and may resist efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry,” he remarks.

“To overcome this, we believe it is essential to engage in constructive dialogue and to build relationships and partnerships with individuals and organisations that share our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and to create (safe) spaces where difficult conversations can take place in a respectful and productive manner,” he explains. 

“At EPAN, we are also committed to providing resources and support to individuals and organisations that may be hesitant or resistant to such initiatives. We believe that education and awareness-raising are key to overcoming pushback, and we work to create opportunities for learning and growth.

“Ultimately, we believe that promoting diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry is essential to creating a more equitable and sustainable industry for everyone,” Rüdel stresses. “By working together and embracing the challenges that come with promoting these values, we can create a better future for aviation.”

On the airline side, EasyJet’s McKenna-Coles believes the question isn’t simply a case of finding pushback. “The challenge is to ensure as an organisation that we have greater access to data (where legally permissible) and to understand better what sits underneath it in order to be able to take the right actions and drive change,” he comments. 

“It is also making sure that organisations are continuing to balance priorities. At EasyJet, we balance our priority to create an inclusive culture for all [alongside] focusing on different aspects of diversity, and this can create a natural tension.

“We are committed to creating a culture where everyone is welcome, feels a sense of belonging, and can be their best and thrive,” says McKenna-Coles. “Through our inclusive leadership training, there is emphasis on psychological safety where we enable our colleagues to have better conversations to enable progress and avoid pushback, or indeed exclusion.” 

Backing up his claims, EasyJet has partnered with Fantasy Wings, a leading diversity-in-aviation youth organisation, to provide young people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and young women aged 13-25 interested in the airline and aviation industries with greater opportunity to launch a career in the industry, through Fantasy Wings’ aviation career development programme. To kick off the collaboration, easyJet is sponsoring places for students from 50 schools across the UK to join the programme, which covers skills development, practical knowledge training, career mentorship by industry leaders, and even flight training.

If those young people need someone to emulate, they only have to look at the recently installed President of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), Kerissa Khan. Not only a woman of colour, she is the youngest person to take up the role, following on from becoming the youngest RAeS Council member back in 2016. Khan, of course, is just the latest in a number of role models.

As noted at the beginning of Part 1 of this piece, breaking down barriers is important in just about any walk of life or topic. The aviation and aerospace industries are clearly investing time and money to keep that trait going. It is in everybody’s interests to help them succeed.

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