Annual Fly Like a Girl Event Inspires Youth

JetBlue hosted its 10th annual Fly Like a Girl event in Boston, one of the airline’s major focus cities. Fly Like a Girl offers girls direct access to learn about different careers in the aviation industry from JetBlue’s female crewmembers who play an integral role in the airline’s success in the sky and on the ground. In partnership with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) and JetBlue’s Women in Flight Crewmember Resource Group (CRG), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, Corporate Social Responsibility team and the JetBlue Foundation, the event supported more than 100 local youth ages 8-14 as they joined JetBlue to learn more and inspire careers in aviation.

As the first and only U.S. airline led by a female CEO, according to JetBlue, it is setting an example with over 30 percent female representation at the officer and director levels. The JetBlue Gateways pilot and technician programs breaks traditional barriers, with females representing more than a quarter of all Gateways participants and nearly half of participants in Gateways designed to provide career development for current JetBlue crewmembers. In Boston, local and government partners supported JetBlue’s event including U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley and Mia Healy-Waldron, Deputy Director of Aviation Customer Service at Massport.

“This year’s Fly Like a Girl signifies 10 years of breaking down barriers of entry into aviation for underrepresented groups,” said Ursula Hurley, president of the JetBlue Foundation and JetBlue’s chief financial officer. “We are excited to provide opportunities like this through the JetBlue Foundation, which champions diversity in STEM education and creates career pathways into our exciting industry.”

Participants of this year’s Fly Like a Girl event were part of a series of hands-on activities, demonstrations and educational stations with JetBlue crewmembers from different workgroups of the airline. Students met with various members from the airline including 10 female pilots, brand design managers, technical operators, and more. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour an Airbus A321 aircraft and explored ground operations facilities like the baggage and cargo areas.