Traveler's Edition
After making her first solo flight at the age of 16, Kate McWilliams has become the world’s youngest commercial airline captain at the age of just 26!
McWilliams began flying in the air cadets at the age of 13. After training as a pilot when she turned 19, she then began a career as a commercial pilot after joining British budget airline EasyJet as first officer. Now she’s been promoted – to captain!
According to EasyJet, the move makes her the youngest commercial airline captain in the world. McWilliams said ‘Personally I don’t think my age matters. I’ve been through the same training and passed the same command course as every other captain so I’ve proven myself capable regardless of my age.’
Just 5% of commercial pilots are female, with EasyJet launching an initiative in 2015 to improve this figure.
