Flying Towards Equality: The Role of Female Employees in Enhancing Airline Performance

This study empirically investigates the impact of the proportion of female employees on firm performance in the airline industry. Panel data analysis was conducted using data from 25 globally operating airline companies for the period from 2019 to 2023. The primary objective of the study is to measure the effect of the proportion of female employees (EMPFEM) on the profitability of airline companies. In this context, EMPFEM is identified as the main independent variable, while profitability performance is evaluated through three key dependent variables: return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and return on sales (ROS). The analysis results reveal that EMPFEM has a positive and statistically significant effect on ROA and ROS, while no significant relationship was found with ROE. These findings suggest that gender diversity can be a strategic factor enhancing performance of the airline companies. The study is evaluated within the frameworks of the resource-based view and corporate social responsibility perspectives, highlighting that diversity policies may contribute to financial performance. The results indicate that increasing female employment is important not only from a gender equality standpoint but also in terms of sustainable profitability and competitive advantage in the airline industry.