KUALA LUMPUR: Local aviation sector will be attractive for airlines and foreign investors if all stakeholders simplify regulations, adopt advance technologies and maintain highest safety standards at all levels
Women in Corporate Aviation Asia (WCAA) president Aida Ismail said it is important for regulators, authorities, operators, and the Ministry of Transport (MoT) to collaborate and understand market demand and industry changes.
"Let the real industry experts run the business, not the politicians as well as the regulators. Politicians and regulators could speed up, support and facilitate the process, and together ensure positive outcomes,” she told the New Straits Times recently.
She said it is vital to simplify the rules to enhance efficiency, business and profit.
"Paperwork alone won’t generate revenue. Quick decision-making is highly needed. Waiting too long for certain approval is not conducive to business growth. Leadership and teamwork are of utmost importance,” she added.
Aida said Malaysia has the infrastructure, workforce and government agencies such as Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) to facilitate business growth.
"The aviation industry in Malaysia is certainly improving over the years. As with everyone else in the region, we also have our own challenges and are working diligently to solve them. This can only lead to progress and growth soon,” she said.
Established on September 16, last year, WCAA is a non-profit organisation comprising a group of aviation professionals to promote opportunities for women in aviation.
Meanwhile, she said it is also important for Asia to have representation of women in corporate aviation as the industry grows.
“There are endless opportunities in corporate aviation, but discussions and debates about aviation and aerospace are often dominated by men.
“Qualified women deserve these opportunities just as much as their male counterparts, as is the growing trend in other sectors like pharmaceuticals and robotics,” she said.
A shortage of women in the aviation industry will create a domino effect that will damage the industry as a whole due to discrimination towards women, unsupportive ecosystems, lack of talents, and much more, she said.
“We hope to build upon and learn from WCAA in the US to bring better opportunities for women in Asia. Our mission is to create gender equality and opportunities for women in the corporate aviation,” she said.
“We have thousands of capable women in the industry, including engineers, C-suits, pilots (military, commercial, jets, cargo and medical evacuation flight), technicians, and ground handlers.
“There is also a handful of women sitting on boards of aviation and aerospace companies, but we hope to see this number grow significantly,” she said.
According to Harvard Business Review, many studies have shown that having a more diverse board is good for business.
For example, of the 842 active companies on the Fortune 1000, women hold 18.8 percent of board seats – an increase from 17.7 percent in 2014 and 14.6 percent in 2011 – and 45 percent of all companies on the Fortune 1000 have 20 percent or greater women on their board.