United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
EasyJet pilot’s response to sexist passengers goes viral
Tweets by a female pilot working for easyJet have gone viral after she called out two male passengers for comments they made about her.
Charlotte Knowlson, who tweets as @pilotcharlotte, said one male passenger ‘joked’ he wouldn’t have boarded had he known she was piloting the aircraft.
Another said: "I won’t make any jokes about female drivers then."
In response, she tweeted: "Fact is, I can fly an £80m jet, you can’t."
The original tweet, posted a couple of days ago, has been liked and re-tweeted thousands of times.
She added: "Being used to this kind of humour, my reaction of course was to be professional, laugh and ask them if they were enjoying the flight," she said.
It was only when a fellow cabin crew member expressed their dismay over the men’s sexist behaviour that she asked herself: "Why is this normal?"
"It is this attitude that puts women off and another barrier stopping them from going into male dominated careers," she stated.
Among supporters, one person tweeted: "Thank you for being a role model for the next generation and calling out sexism for what it is – wrong!"
Others have been sharing photos of their daughters in response to the Twitter thread, all of whom aspire to follow in her footsteps one day.
Pilot Knowlson added: "My career is my dream, always has been."
"I always wanted to be able to inspire more women [to be pilots], especially the younger generations, so that we can change people’s perceptions on what is still a man’s world."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel