Barriers and Facilitators to the Inclusion of Women in Aviation

With the stereotyped exception of flight attendants, men typically occupy airside roles in aviation, such as pilots, co-pilots, flight engineers and aircraft mechanics. In most countries, women are a tiny minority in the field, and programs like IATA's 25by2025 campaign show how (un)realistic one can be while setting the goal to increase female representation. Through an integrative literature review, we identified several barriers faced by women, including gender bias, lack of support networks, and organizational challenges such as work-life balance and job insecurity. Conversely, we review psychosocial facilitators, existing governmental policies and companies’ efforts, such as targeted training, mentoring programs, and diversity initiatives to improve gender equity in aviation. We show how significant disparities in wage gaps, representation in higher positions, and the enduring cultural biases favouring masculine traits that hinder women's progress in the field can be overcome. Finally, we summarize practical implications to address these structural and cultural barriers through more comprehensive recruitment, retention strategies, and workplace reforms in civil aviation.