United Airlines Sparks Debate With Pledge to Diversify Pilot Staff
On 4/7/21 at 3:59 PM EDT
United Airlines' new initiative to increase representation among an upcoming generation of pilots sparked debate on social media this week, as some commended the company's intent to develop a more diverse training program while others strongly criticized it.
United announced on Twitter that it aims to train an incoming class of pilots in which enrollment rates of women and people of color equate those of white male students.
"Our flight deck should reflect the diverse group of people on board our planes every day," wrote United Airlines in Monday's announcement. "That's why we plan for 50% of the 5,000 pilots we train in the next decade to be women or people of color."