Asiana’s discriminatory pants ban is under attack.
Asiana, South Korea’s second-largest airline, doesn’t permit its female flight attendants to wear pants. But South Korea’s human rights commission has decreed that the carrier should start letting female cabin crew wear trousers, according to a report from The Huffington Post.
The decision backs up a complaint filed by a union representing the airline’s female flight attendants, which requests that Asiana soften its draconian dress rules. The airline’s 10-page fashion rulebook for woman flight attendants stipulates that female crew may not wear glasses, must cover up facial imperfections with makeup, must have manicured nails, and must adhere to specified earring-length standards. Asiana said it has recently eased some of the rules, including the glasses restriction. But the pants ban persists. The men’s uniform guide, by the way, is only two pages long.
The attendants’ concerns go beyond inequality. In March, around the time when Asiana won the 2011 World Airline Award for best cabin staff, an anonymous Asiana flight attendant told CNNGo, “There are many cases when we have to stand up and sit down in front of our passengers which makes it not only uncomfortable, but sometimes dangerous.”
Asiana’s defense, reports HuffPost, is this: “Asiana said that its skirt-only policy was meant to emphasize the company’s brand of ‘high-class Korean beauty.’ It said aesthetic elements such as the appearance of female flight attendants are part of its service for passengers and an essential tool for staying competitive.”
Do female flight attendants in skirts really give Asiana a leg up on the competition? Of course not. Passengers aren’t choosing tickets based on crew uniforms. Any passengers that do have (1) money to burn and (2) a narrow-minded view of the role of female cabin crew. Fliers care most about price point and cabin comfort, not skirts. This is why Hooter Airlines is out of commission.
You Might Also Like:
- What Not to Wear in the Airport Security Line
- Nine Things Not to Wear on a Plane
- Has the Time Come for Child-Free Cabins?
(Photo: Jun Seita via flickr/CC Attribution)
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Top Fares From
Today's Top Travel Deals
Brought to you by ShermansTravel
Black Friday Sale: 6-Night India Tour,...
Exoticca
vacation $1599+Amsterdam to Copenhagen: Luxe, 18-Night Northern...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
cruise $12399+Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati
85OFF.com
Car Rental $19+