THURSDAY, March 8 marked International Women’s and Aer Lingus marked the occasion with a special gesture for female passengers.
The Irish airline literally put women first by offering female passengers priority boarding on all short-haul flights.
Today we’re marking International Women's Day by offering our female guests priority boarding on short-haul flights. #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/yDDjhNdRBP
— Aer Lingus (@AerLingus) 8 March 2018
Describing women as a driving force across the airline, the company also produced a short film celebrating the female members of staff who ‘make our airline soar’.
Their offer appeared to be well received…
For the day that's in it... well done @AerLingus #InternationalWomenDay2018 pic.twitter.com/JjRlTdu9S4
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) 8 March 2018
Great shout @AerLingus pic.twitter.com/sjpbrGb1cg
— jamie heaslip (@jamieheaslip) 8 March 2018
Well played @AerLingus #IWD2018 pic.twitter.com/kT62xN5A92
— Dearbhail McDonald (@DearbhailDibs) 8 March 2018
Nice move by @AerLingus - they’ve asked all women to come forward to board first on the flight to Chicago for #IWD2018
— Seán Cannon-Earley (@seanearley) 8 March 2018
The look on all the blokes faces as we got to skip them in the queue as has been inspirational!!! @AerLingus #internationalwomensday2018 ✌🏻 #honthemoths #alwaysapriority pic.twitter.com/eNbaDLnz4c
— SineadNiDhomnaill (@GypolataTimes) 8 March 2018
Oh my god how can you prioritise women, think of poor men! 🙄 Well dons Aer Lingus, I hope everyone enjoys their flight 😊 ✈️
— Fiona McStay (@theotherfiona) 8 March 2018
Shout out to @AerLingus who requested all women at Dublin airport this morning to come forward for priority boarding in recognition of #InternationalWomensDay
— Fiona Richardson (@Fiona_IPC) 8 March 2018
This is great, thanks Aer Lingus! Such a nice gesture.
— REPEAL. (@drinkinmelilt) 8 March 2018
Thank you @AerLingus for making me smile and feel appreciated this cold, early but inspirational morning #IWD18 #priorityboarding #littlethingsmatter #smiles pic.twitter.com/2yTy6jWHzc
— Aisling Cronin (@Ash_Cronin) 8 March 2018
Although there’s always one chancer…
Will I make the cut? #loveit
— Mrs. Brown's Boys (@MrsBrownsBoys) 8 March 2018
And of course there were plenty of people like this inquiring about a similar gesture for men on International Men’s Day…
I take it you’ll be doing the same for International Men’s Day in November.
— James Sullivan (@J_Sullivan_Aths) 8 March 2018
Having this for International Mens Day as well? #EqualityForAll
— And (@ne77xh) 8 March 2018
Others thought the gesture was sexist…
Nice gesture and all, but...um, maybe somewhat sexist? Feminism is about equality, not going ahead of men.
— Jena Tesse Fox (@JenaFox) 8 March 2018
Aer Lingus- the sexist airline... We need EQAULITY NOT more rights for women or men.
— iMoan Brutal (@iMoanBrutal) 8 March 2018
Also to mark the day, an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to New York was managed by an all-female crew.
Over 2,000 of Aer Lingus’ 4,200 employees are female, while the airline was one of the first in Europe to employ a female pilot.
Gráinne Cronin flew her first flight in January 1978 as a vice-captain and became the airline’s first female captain 10 years later.
Women are a driving force across our airline. We’re proud to celebrate them today. #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/wjN1xuU2Sr
— Aer Lingus (@AerLingus) 8 March 2018
