Aer Lingus said it's "making a concerted effort to attract more female applicants to its Future Pilot Programme" and was the first airline in Europe to employ a female pilot, Gráinne Cronin. Currently, Aer Lingus employs twice as many female pilots when compared with the international airline industry average, which remains low. Aer Lingus pilots on the flight deck Mike Rutter, Aer Lingus Chief Operating Officer, said: " This is a unique opportunity for aspiring pilots. At Aer Lingus, we are extremely proud of our rich heritage in training programmes specifically geared towards first-time pilots and we are one of very few airlines globally who provide this degree of support. It's an exciting time to join Aer Lingus as we remain committed to growing the network which creates attractive opportunities for our pilots.