Tuesday, July 17, 2018

A Page from the Past

I read a news item that 2 PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) female pilots, Commander Maryam Masood and her First Officer, Shumaila Mazhar, flew from Islamabad to Gilgit and back safely. The airline said this route is “"very challenging and requires a lot of precision and technique".
 
Captain Maryam Masood (L) and First Officer Shumaila Mahar (R)
 
This reminds me of an incident that happened while we were living in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was going to Chicago on a Sunday morning on company business. I was traveling in Economy. I had the aisle seat. In the middle and window seats were a young newly married couple on their honeymoon. The lady was in the middle and her new husband was in the window seat.
 
The moment the plane was air borne, the weather turned worse. The plane was shaking a lot. The flight attendants did not get up from their seats. These 2 newly weds were very nervous and literally shaking. The girl was more nervous than the guy. I started to talk to her.
 
She said they are on their honeymoon. They both are afraid to fly. And, this turbulence makes her more nervous. I told her not to worry and the plane is more safe than the car or train. She calmed down a little but still nervous. She asked me if she could hold my hand. What can I say? I agreed.
 
I then used the call button to get the attention of a flight attendant. One of the FAs came near us. I explained the situation to her and asked her to get two glasses of double vodka with little orange juice and give to them. (Before calling the FA, I got the information from this couple they enjoy drinking vodka with orange juice.) The flight attendant brought a strong Screw Driver to this couple. They seem to calm down a little.
 
Finally the plane made a safe landing in Chicago. While still taxi-ing, they both thanked me. I told them both the commander and the copilot of this plane are female. (When I entered the aircraft in Salt Lake City I looked inside the cockpit and noticed both pilots are female.)
 
The young lady told me: Thanks a million for not telling us this information while in the air. I would have died on the spot.
 
As for as I am concerned the gender of the pilots has nothing to do with how they perform. I have no problem flying with 2 female pilots.
 
Are you comfortable with 2 female pilots operating the plane in which you are flying?

21 comments:

  1. This is the mindset of most of the people of my generation that we dont trust our own gender.but now we are changing and so many times i feel more comfortable with women in charge.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Renu. It is the mindset of people not just your generation but of all generations. My wife Lalitha had no problem driving in German autobahn (highway) where there are no speed limits. When she comes to Chennai and wear a saree with kumkum and jasmine flower on her hair and visits temple, people don’t even believe she can drive a car.

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  2. Before my actual comment, question for you SG what nationality did the couple belong to?

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    1. American (White Anglo-Saxon).

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    2. Interesting i thought this kind of gender bias was more prevalent in the Indian society...i think you should have mentioned this beforehand about the pilots being women and ruined her flight ....

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    3. Thanks for your comments Dee. Why scare her more! Gender bias is not just in Indian society only. It is all over the world. You live in USA. Think about why they have not yet elected a woman President.

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  3. Most of the skills luckily are not gender based.Why would I not be comfortable in a plane with female pilots?

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    1. Thanks for your comments Mr.KP. I am glad you are also, like me, is comfortable with female pilots.

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  4. As long as the pilots are trained and experienced, gender shouldn't matter. Why should anyone even enquire about it? That said, I should admit I've had "experiences" with some women explaining routes and guiding me with finding addresses which I'd rather take from men :P

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. HaHaHa. The voice on your GPS is that of a female. She is the one giving you route directions.

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  5. Ah! The stereotypes that people believe in!! Wonder when the mindsets will change. I have traveled with all women team (pilots and cabin crew) on various flight and have never felt they were any less capable than their male counterparts!
    I am still laughing at "What can I say?" :D

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    1. Thanks for your comments Shilpa. What can I say!

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  6. In both the genders there are people much masterly in whatever works they are engaged in. There are those that are unskillful also. But people have belief that adventurous fields are men's cup of tea. You, chose some strange topics, SG, and write on it catchingly.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Sarala. People always stereotype. It is unfair.

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  7. That men are more authoritarian, serious, and reliable with serious work, is an age-old stereotype, mainly because of the way humankind has evolved over all these years. It is still there, though now quite a bit of it has been removed. But we constantly see the battle with that legacy issue.

    I am reminded of how television news readers always used to be men, once upon a time, because TV stations thought no one will believe the news if women read them.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. You are correct. Before, they never allowed female news anchors. Now, looks like the other way.

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  8. What that lady said is really sad. I mean, how does the gender matter? I agree with you SG. People assume that women are poor drivers by default. One fact is that I never got a single speeding ticket in my life while my husband got them few times. Also I drive faster than my husband.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Ash. You are lucky you did not get a ticket, yet. Getting a ticket will affect your insurance rates.

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  9. Ugh! Sexism is so built into our heads, feels like it's impossible to eradicate. When is this gonna change.

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  10. Interesting incident.There are bolder and smarter females than some males. But the fact is the number here is less.So people in general have a belief that men are more efficient in works that demand skill. nice topic.

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