As part of its Black History Month celebrations, TUI operated two flights crewed entirely by black and mixed heritage colleagues from Manchester to Boa Vista and London Gatwick to Jamaica today.<\/p>\n
Guests were entertained by traditional steel bands as they checked in to the historic flights which aimed to showcase the contribution of the black and mixed heritage communities in the travel industry. \u00a0And to specifically highlight TUI\u2019s Caribbean and African employee Network\u2019s (TUI CAN) mantra \u201cyou can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see\u201d.<\/p>\n
TUI\u2019s Wellbeing and Inclusion Lead and co-founder of TUI CAN Miranda Simms said: \u201cWe are committed to making sure that every person\u2014whether they\u2019re flying with us or working with us\u2014feels represented and included. \u00a0These flights are a powerful statement to show people outside the company that there are individuals here who look like them, who have shared their experiences, and who are excelling in their careers. It\u2019s important for us to show this, because representation matters, and it inspires the next generation to see themselves in these roles and know it\u2019s possible. It\u2019s one of the reasons we flipped the narrative of how we celebrate Black History Month. \u00a0We wanted it to be a positive celebration about how we create our own history every day, so we came up with the concept of \u2018Making <\/em><\/strong>Black History at TUI\u201d.<\/p>\n Second Officer Louis Farrell, who always dreamed of becoming a pilot, explains what crewing the Manchester to Boa Vista flight meant to him. \u00a0\u201cFor me, this flight isn\u2019t just about breaking barriers\u2014it\u2019s about showing the next generation that their dreams are within reach. I started out in the military but was wounded in action cutting my\u00a0career short. I was connected with TUI through the Charity Wings for Warriors, who introduce injured ex-service personnel to airlines and here I am today at TUI back in the cockpit. No matter your background or skin colour, there\u2019s a place for you in any role you aspire to. Let this flight be a reminder that you belong, and that your future is yours to create.”<\/p>\n Cabin Manager Sandra Russel said she feels immensely proud to be apart of the historic flight. \u201cAs second-generation Jamaican, this flight holds a lot of meaning for me. I faced challenges growing up and although I’d considered a career as cabin crew I didn\u2019t think it would eventuate, but my parents taught me to always see the good in people and never give up. It\u2019s true, if you don\u2019t see yourself represented it can impact the way you view things. Then when I reached my 50s I thought go for it! It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. My first flight was on my 59th birthday! I hope my story inspired others, especially young people of colour to believe that no matter your age or background, your dreams are always within reach\u201d.<\/p>\n These flights are part of a wider celebration across the business during October. \u00a0Across TUI\u2019s Retail and Contact Centre estates there will be Caribbean and African-inspired lunch and learn sessions and we will be featuring Caribbean and African-inspired menus in our Head Office canteen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As part of its Black History Month celebrations, TUI operated two flights crewed entirely by black and mixed heritage colleagues from Manchester to Boa Vista and London Gatwick to Jamaica today. Guests were entertained by traditional steel bands as they checked in to the historic flights which aimed to showcase the contribution of the black […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":6799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,185],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-thomson-airways"],"yoast_head":"\n