Study Aims To Combat Challenges Facing Women In Aviation

Why It Matters

Addressing bias and institutionalizing sponsorship can close the talent gap, boosting innovation and profitability in a sector desperate for diverse leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Oliver Wyman study identifies implicit bias as primary women attrition factor
• Flexible work schedules rank top for retaining both genders
• Structured sponsorship programs boost visibility and advancement for women
• Women perceive gender parity efforts far weaker than men
• Study will repeat every three years to track progress

Summary

At MRO America 2026 in Orlando, Aviation Week’s Lindsay Baragard highlighted the release of the second‑edition “Liftoff to Leadership” study, a joint effort by consulting firm Oliver Wyman and the International Aerospace Women’s Association to map barriers to women’s advancement in aviation.

The research finds women are far less likely than men to rate their companies as achieving gender parity and cite implicit bias, micro‑aggressions, and a lack of sponsorship as primary reasons for considering exit. Men, by contrast, report leaving for higher pay or personal reasons, underscoring a “push” versus “pull” dynamic for women.

Both genders agreed that flexible work schedules and formal sponsorship programs are the top levers to improve retention. Oxana emphasized that structured sponsorship—where senior leaders actively champion high‑potential women—has already produced measurable promotion gains in firms that adopted it.

The study’s tri‑annual cadence will let the industry benchmark progress, while its recommendations push companies to embed flexibility and sponsorship into talent strategies, a move likely to broaden the pipeline of female leaders and enhance overall performance.

Original Description

The Lift Off To Leadership Study, conducted by Oliver Wyman in collaboration with the International Aerospace Women’s Association, sheds light on the challenges women face in the aviation industry and offers actionable recommendations to foster gender parity.

In this video, Oksana Bardygula and Livia Hayes of Oliver Wyman Vector outline the major findings of the report.