From the end of May, Japanese budget airline Skymark is rolling out a new Airbus A330-300 addition to its fleet. To mark the occasion, the airline is also introducing new uniforms for its female cabin crew. Very, very short uniforms.
Today, one of the largest papers in Japan, Mainichi, reported how the country’s labour union for flight attendants has attempted to get the uniforms repealed over safety and sexual harassment concerns, calling them “dangerous” and a “job obstacle”.
The safety concerns are over the length of the skirt, which shows significant skin, and, for example, it could cause injury should a flight attendant need to exit the plane via escape chute. It also probably makes doing basic duties more complicated if the staff always need to worry about their uniform. As for harassment, the union says the uniforms depict women as a sex object.
The uniforms, which you can see in the above Nikkei photo, are not permanent. They are part of a half-year campaign for three Skymark flight routes. Not all Skymark staff will wear the outfits.
The aviation section of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Travel is investigating to see whether or not the uniforms are an obstacle to work safety, while the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare is examining whether this violates the employer’s duty to protect staff from sexual harassment.
A Skymark spokesperson told Mainichi that the “stylish” uniforms were designed with safety and legal regulations in mind. The spokesperson added, “We are also getting consent from the cabin attendants who are scheduled to wear the uniforms.”
The controversial outfits are schedule to go into use in late May.
スカイマーク新制服:労組が要請書「業務に支障」「危険」[Mainichi]
Picture: Nikkei
Comments
11 responses to “Skimpy Flight Attendant Uniforms Called ‘Dangerous’”
Clothing cannot define someone as a sexual object, only the mindset of a person. OH&S may be a legitimate concern but there have been uniforms of similar length back in the day. Those heels look the most ‘dangerous’
Crotchless, arseless leather pants coming to a QANTAS flight near you soon.
Don’t worry, it doesn’t sexualise the flight crew.
DryzaBone brown leather I assume
I hope John Travolta won’t be wearing that.
He is wearing only that.
They’re just called “Chaps”
Like the cowboys wear….. unsure why
The clothes show that the company views its employees as sex objects. It’s poorly written, but they are right.
That stupid scarf they wear on some airlines is probably a huge hazard.
Who would want to blow a plain up with such lovely Flight Attendants.
I think they are onto something here.
Malaysian Airlines should take notice.
The cans in the bottom of the drink trolley are going to be real popular soon.
http://williamjboone.deviantart.com/art/Tiny-Miniskirts-148524867
Because the second I read this headline my mind instantly conjures up this quote from the FMA anime.
Men get to wear bike shorts too? I think the company got what it wanted. Publicity and will happily change their uniform now.