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Travelling for work is often perceived as a glamorous privilege of a high-flying career. But the challenges that lie within, especially for mothers, often dim this glamour.
Leaving behind a wailing baby
Meghna Chellani, a pilot, recalled the agony of leaving behind her crying four-month-old son as she resumed work after maternity leave. "I had made the decision to return to work after giving birth, but to live that decision was the hardest thing," said Meghna, who has been an Etihad pilot for six years. "I was crying and my makeup was running out."
In a career that spans 14 years, Meghna has been married for over a decade and has a four-year-old son. She is expecting her second child soon.
Talking about parental parity, she said she and her husband - who is also a pilot - share duties. "We've been putting up sticky notes with instructions on the fridge, depending on whoever is returning. We try and keep our child's schedule as unchanged as possible. But on most days, our son gets to see only one parent at a time."
While female pilots serve as an essential asset to the airline industry, only 6 per cent of them globally are women. Maternity and childcare are viewed as major impediments for women to take up the job.
Meghna said things are changing. "I am glad that the aviation industry is now viewing this differently. One of the carriers even have badges saying 'women power'."
Encouraging more women to join the aviation industry, Meghna said: "Pursue anything as long as you are passionate about it. You might have one million reasons to quit but do not stop or turn around."
Splitting parental duties equally
For Rajni Singh, a sales manager at Maritime and Mercantile International/Sirocco, travelling frequently comes with the job. "I have been working in this industry for two decades now. I have to travel at least once a week within the GCC and sometimes outside for longer. When you have no children, time is not a constraint and there are no commitments. But when you become a mother, the dynamics of your life change."
Highlighting the role played by her husband, she said: "That's when my husband and I realised that we need to align our calendars to respect each other's work schedules.
"Managing our child's needs and expectations while I am away for long was one of the key challenges. That's where my husband stepped up. He is a very involved father."
She also endorsed pre-planning. "When you are travelling constantly, I cannot stress the importance of pre-planning. I don't want to be in two different places in my mind. Therefore, communicating well and planning in advance as much as possible is imperative."
Rajni said she started video-calling her child from the time she was an infant and "did not understand much". "She is now four and I still do it with her."
Urging fathers to take a keen interest in their children's lives, Rajini said this will also support their wives' careers.
"My husband realises that if he doesn't fully engage with our child, he will be losing out on meaningful moments in his own life."
According to Rajni, one of the reasons women are out of leadership roles and travelling careers is the perception that women are primary caregivers to their children and home.
"Due to such an attitude, women's representation becomes lower.
"If you have a demanding job that warrants frequent travelling, don't shy away from asking for help," she advised.
While new advocacy efforts are underway for gender mainstreaming and shifting the paradigm of women representation in travelling careers, much still needs to be done for levelling out the 'travelling' playing field.
nandini@khaleejtimes.com
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