Alaska Airlines passengers were a part of history during a Portland-bound flight on Mother’s Day.
Captain Tara Wight emerged from the cockpit to make a special announcement to all aboard Flight 361: Wright and first officer Mallory Cave would be the first-ever Black female flight crew.
“Finally, you’re sharing a pretty interesting piece of Alaska Airlines history this morning,” she told passengers, who cheered and applauded. “You’ll be piloted by two female African-American pilots for the first time in the airline’s history.”
According to KTVA, Alaska Airlines, where more than 72 percent of employees are white and 60 percent are male, posted the special announcement video to their Facebook page, adding that the two pilots were succeeding Bessie Coleman, the first black woman to make a public flight in 1922.
To end her speech, Wright assured that each member in the cabin was included in the historic moment “whether you’re awake or not.”