Month

As my flight taxied toward takeoff at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, the Captain announced over the loudspeaker that we’d gotten lucky and had been cleared to go sooner than expected after a weather delay. For a nervous flier like me, it was reassuring to hear that conditions in Boston weren’t bad. It was just that when heavy storms were forecast for the East Coast, Air Traffic Control closely monitored flights to all destinations in the region.

The voice, too, was comforting, with just the right mix of self-confidence and authority. In a conversational, upbeat tone, it promised a “straight shot,” a two-hour flight, and a smooth landing.

And, it was a woman’s.