Ever since 1798, when Marie Élisabeth Thible became the first woman to pilot an aircraft solo, women have been making an important contribution to the advancement of air travel.
In celebration of International Women’s Day (8th) and Women’s History Month, we’ve dedicated the month of March to the female leaders and staff members that make up a large part of the Concorde Airport Security team.
Here at CAS, we’re proud to have such a strong female presence within the company and will continue to do all we can over the coming years to ensure that women are represented fairly within the company and the wider aviation industry.
In case you missed the chance to read the stories we shared on social media about some of our incredible female team members, we’ve included them below…
Maryann Turvey – Operations Director
Maryann started her career working for an airline and quickly fell for the amazing team atmosphere and the challenges that airport life provided.
She then continued working within aviation and airports as it became her life love and ambition, gaining invaluable experience in roles within operations, commercial, safety, and security.
Now 22 years later, Maryann is proud to say that aviation remains an important part of her life, and she’s grateful to have worked alongside many amazing people.
As Maryann says, ‘It’s not just a job, aviation becomes your family’.
Sarah Thomas – Vetting and Recruitment Officer
Sarah started her career in aviation at the age of 19, after her dad used to drag her and her sister along to the Duxford Air Show as children. Watching her dad take to the skies in the Grace Spitfire at the age of 14 took her breath away, and she knew then that she would end up working in the aviation industry.
She began working on the check-in desks for Ryanair at Stansted Airport, before moving to an aircraft dispatcher.
After a small pit stop as cabin crew, the natural profession for Sarah was flight operations, where she worked her way up from a Controller to Operations Manager over a 19-year career.
After starting a family, Sarah joined the CAS team working in Vetting and Recruitment, before being given the chance to learn a whole new side to aviation as an Aviation Security Officer.
Sarah loves that no two days are the same in aviation. No matter how long you’ve been in the industry, because it’s such a fast-changing environment, you can learn something new every day.
Amy Baker – Security Officer
Amy has always loved travel and, after finding herself stuck in a job she didn’t enjoy, she decided to follow in her dad’s footsteps and join the world of aviation.
Over the last 2 years, the industry has given Amy the knowledge and experience that she wouldn’t have got anywhere else, and she loves the new challenges that she’s faced with every single day.
Dawn Loring – Security Officer and Step-up Supervisor
Dawn has worked in the aviation security industry for 25 years. Now with CAS, she loves that no two days are ever the same and feels lucky to meet and work with some truly lovely people.
Patricia Crossley – Security Officer
Patricia stepped into the world of aviation in March 2017. She wanted to be part of a dynamic and cosmopolitan workplace and couldn’t wait to encounter different people from all over the world.
Her love of planes and helicopters influenced her decision to live close to Stansted Airport. It offered Patricia quick access to travel abroad and, as a native Brazilian, gave her the perfect opportunity to hunt some sunshine.
Patricia enjoys the cultural and challengeable encounters that come with a role in customer service, something which has taught her adaptability and versatility.
Shannon Kelly – Security Officer and Step-up Supervisor
Shannon started working in aviation three and a half years ago as a terminal security officer, before working her way up to a step-up supervisor here at CAS.
Her love for the aviation industry stems down to the various people that she gets to meet day-to-day and the fact that no two days are ever the same.
Amy Kelly – Security Officer and Step-up Supervisor
Amy has been working in aviation for just over three years and loves how exciting the industry can be.
She’s passionate about making every passenger’s experience an enjoyable one and always looks forward to meeting people from across the world.
Cheri Reynolds – Security Officer and Step-up Supervisor
Cheri decided to join the aviation industry to give her life direction, something she felt she lacked prior to her career change. She saw the industry as somewhere that would provide the building blocks to a better and brighter future.
Since joining the CAS team, Cheri feels she’s been given the opportunity to grow, not just as a security officer but as a person.
She loves being part of an ever-changing environment, where there’s something new around every corner. This constant challenge is what pushes Cheri to always stay one step ahead.
Cheri believes that the very best part of her career change is the team that she gets to work with each and every day. As she says, ‘It doesn’t matter if it’s 2 am or 2 pm, the laughs we share are what gets us all through the toughest of shifts.’
Tanya Hughes – Supervisor
Tanya has worked in aviation for the last 16 years and knew after her very first day at Dublin Airport that she never wanted to work in another industry.
After spending some time away to start a family, Tanya moved to the UK and couldn’t wait to get back to the world of aviation. After all, it’s in her blood, with six other family members (including her husband) working in the industry too.
Tanya loves every part of her role, even getting up during the early hours of the morning and being outside in the cold. She loves how different every day is and believes that the people she meets and works with are a huge part of what makes her job so great.
As Tanya says, ‘It can be very challenging, but knowing I help contribute to keeping our industry safe makes up for all the challenges we come across.’
About Concorde Airport Security
Based at London Stansted Airport, Concorde Airport Security (CAS) provide a range of security screening services for FBOs and Airports throughout the UK. Meeting all DfT / CAA regulations, CAS comprises of a team of professional and knowledgeable security officers who take great pride in delivering the highest standard of screening services.
For further information on how we can support you, speak to a member of our friendly team who are looking forward to discussing your potential needs and requirements.
