Empowering Women in the Skies | News Direct

Empowering Women in the Skies American Airlines Flight Operated by an All-Black Female Crew in Honor of Bessie Coleman

News release by American Airlines

facebook icon linkedin icon twitter icon pinterest icon email icon Northampton, MA | September 06, 2022 01:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time

American Airlines hosted the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars tour to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1921. She bravely broke down barriers within the world of aviation and paved the path for many to follow.

To honor her legacy, American hosted Gigi Coleman, Bessie’s great niece, on a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Phoenix. The flight was operated by an all-Black Female crew — from the pilots and Flight Attendants to the Cargo team members and the aviation maintenance technician.

American is being intentional in its efforts to diversify the flight deck. Black women have been notably underrepresented in the aviation industry, especially as pilots, representing less than 1% in the commercial airline industry. Through the American Airlines Cadet Academy, the airline is committed to expanding awareness of and increasing accessibility to the pilot career within diverse communities.

The historic flight crew:

Beth PowellPilot, Boeing 737 Captain

Charlene ShorttePilot, Boeing 737 First Officer

Cheryl GaymonFlight Attendant

Mary RobersonFlight Attendant

Vanessa BennettFlight Attendant

Breana JamesFlight Attendant

Sharron BrooksRamp Crew Chief

Nicole White Ramp Crew Chief

Melissa Simpson Ramp Crew Chief

Maya MatthewsFleet Service Agent

Natasha WilliamsFleet Service Agent

Alisha BatesFleet Service Agent

Christina ThorntonFleet Service Agent

Deanna PriceFleet Service Agent

Samara BrownFleet Service Agent

Davena HeardFleet Service Agent

Candis BriggsFleet Service Agent

Latoya CooperFleet Service Agent

Patricia MilfortManager on Duty, Customer Operations

Tiki WalkerCustomer Service Manager

Tracy BrownCustomer Service Agent

Valerie MajorCustomer Service Agent

Denise AshfordCustomer Service Agent

Wendy JohnsonCustomer Service Agent

Arlene LawCustomer Service Coordinator

Lynette Daniels MoodyCustomer Service Coordinator

Lillie HayesCustomer Service Coordinator

Kacy StevensonCustomer Service Coordinator

Muje Abdul-QadirControl Center Coordinator

Pamela CaltonAviation Maintenance Technician

Crystal Tochi McDanielDuty Manager, Cargo Services

Audrey Van HookCargo Crew Chief

Sandra ButlerCargo Crew Chief

Jessika MejiaPremium Guest Services Representative

Veronda ButlerSenior Manager, Premium Guest Services

Tracie HunterTraining and Development Instructional Designer

About American Airlines Group

To Care for People on Life’s Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

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