This Women’s Day 2022, we’d like to introduce you to just some of the women who have been with us since the beginning. As we celebrate our 40th birthday this year, we also celebrate the incredible women that have walked this journey with Flight Centre South Africa since the beginning. We salute you!
We thank you women of South Africa for your continued sacrifice to make a better world for all. Here are the stories from our Flight Centre women of Then & Now, as they share how the travel landscape, and the world has changed over the past 40 years. Meet Claire Ngwane, FCTG BSP Consultant - BSP Finance.
What does Women's Day mean to you? Do you feel it still has significance?
Women’s Day means that on this one day you are reminded that as a woman you are valued and you should value yourself.
Women should always remember the guidelines on an airplane when there is an emergency (when the mask drops, use the mask for yourself first before you help anyone else). There is a huge significance and value we have as women. This day is an opportunity for women to come together to celebrate themselves and each other.
Tell us about the landscape of travel then and now.
Then travel was predominantly white; mostly white females worked in travel whereas now travel is open to all races and gender. People of colour are travelling more, and middle-class black people are doing a lot of overseas travel
"Opening the world to those who want to see" is happening a lot more as black people can see that it is possible and they are doing it for themselves!
How has travel changed over the last 40 years?
Then everything was handwritten and not so automated and paperless as now. FCTG had a separate department that issued travel documents and we issued and distributed to the stores. Clients had to come collect their tickets or send the handwritten documents to BSP and those had timelines.
You had to make sure that in splitting the paper ticket you DID NOT pull out the wrong coupon because that would mean that you had to get a courier to go to the airport and give the client their coupon because you probably pulled out the return leg! Lucky you if the travel consultant paid enough attention when handing over the ticket because they had to read it to them. Good luck to you if this was a new consultant.
At least now times have changed. E-tickets are in the system and things are automated and this then saves a lot of money and definitely takes away a lot of stress and anxiety. We definitely look more professional .
What lessons have you learnt from the women in your life?
That nobody is an island. We all need each other and for you to be able to make it easy for people to be there for you, be kind and do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.
What message do you want to share with women in the industry or women in South Africa in general?
The travel industry is truly a small world. One person you ill-treated working at a certain travel company can one day show up at your company appointed to work
in your department as your leader or teammate, so be kind always.
The message for women in South Africa is that when women come together, they achieve more. In the past our grandmothers and great grandmothers came together to fight for liberation of the country. Every generation has their battles to overcome and currently we are faced with GBV and the danger of crime that is on the rise which mostly women and children are facing daily. So let's be kind to one another, support each other and together we can go to war on these issues that we are facing as South African women.
Why is it exciting to be a woman in travel?
The world is your oyster. You can make all your dreams come true, have a plan and execute it. Travel allows women to earn whatever salaries that they want for as long as they put in the effort. After a few years you can work towards being an Independent Consultant and work your own hours and make even more money as they custom make their travel offering to their clients!
Thank you, Claire – keep on flying the flag high!
