The Australian Airports Association (AAA) has launched a new Women in Airports Network (WIAN) to coincide with International Women’s Day.

AAA Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie said the network would create a community to support the advancement of women across all aspects of airport operations.

“Airports operate in a truly global industry and a diverse workforce is absolutely crucial to support our growth and success,” Ms Wilkie said.

“With global passenger traffic expected to double in the next 15 years, there will be many great career development opportunities for airport staff in the future.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring gender diversity is a clear focus as we prepare for this next phase of growth in the industry.”

The WIAN will provide a forum to discuss career development and leadership pathways for women working in airports across Australia and New Zealand.

It will support the participation and advancement of women working in both operational and leadership roles.

AAA members will be invited to start the dialogue through a dedicated LinkedIn group ahead of a Women in Airports Forum to be held in November 2019.

The forum will precede the AAA National Conference and will seek to identify key initiatives for the WIAN to pursue on behalf of its members.

“The forum will provide an opportunity for detailed discussion on supporting gender diversity at airports across Australia and New Zealand,” Ms Wilkie said.

The WIAN was launched on International Women’s Day, in support of this year’s theme #BalanceforBetter.