Our blouses 'TOO SHORT' and skirts 'TOO TIGHT' - air stewardesses complain uniform too revealing

Cathay Pacific flight stewardesses have told bosses to change their uniforms, amid complaints that they are too sexy.

The union representing cabin crew says that skirts hug their figures too tightly and blouses are too short, exposing stewardesses' midriffs when they bend down.

It says the eye-catching outfits have led to a surge in incidents of sexual harassment at work, which it claims stewardesses face at least once in every 10 flights.

Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong's de factor flag carrier, introduced the latest uniforms for stewardesses three years ago.

Created by fashion designer by Eddie Lau, they consist of tight white logo-print blouses, rose red skirts with two slits at the rear, sheer black stockings and black high heels. Rose red jackets are optional for cooler climes.

The new uniforms had been expected to last for 10 years, but the Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union (CPAFAU) are now demanding changes to the design, claiming that it exposes members to increased harassment.

CPAFAU honorary secretary Michelle Choi told the South China Morning Post that the blouses on the uniforms were cut too short, exposing members' midriffs when they bend down or stretch upwards.

'We believe the company intentionally does this to make us look a bit sexier and to let the passenger see more,' she said.

'Too sexy': Cathay Pacific flight attendants walk through Hong Kong International Airport. Their union has demanded that bosses redesign their uniforms, claiming they have led to an increase in sexual harassment

 

Flight Attendants' Union honorary secretary Michelle Choi told the South China Morning Post that the blouses on the uniforms were cut too short, exposing members' midriffs when they bend down or stretch upwards

A study by Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission in February found that 27 per cent of Hong Kong attendants had been sexually harassed on flights in the past 12 months.

Eighty-six per cent of the 392 participants who said they were sexually harassed were women.

Harassment allegations involved ‘patting, touching, kissing or pinching,’ or ‘staring in a sexual way’ or as ‘sexual jokes and requests for sexual favours’, according to the survey.

'Some of the Marco Polo Club members think they can do things to us because they are privileged and we somehow allow it. That is very bad'

Ms Choi said members of the Cathay Pacific's Marco Polo Club frequent flier scheme were the among worst offenders.

'Some of the Marco Polo Club members think they can do things to us because they are privileged and we somehow allow it. That is very bad,' she said.

'They think it is part of their privilege … Afterwards, they believe they can apologise and everything is settled.'

She said that supervisors often intimidate staff into not reporting incidents of sexual harassment to police, warning them that doing so could delay the flight.

Staff model their new uniforms in 2011: Created by fashion designer Eddie Lau, Cathay Pacific bosses said the outfits were 'symbolic of a modern Asian airline respected worldwide for quality, style and gracious service'

The CPAFAU represents nearly 6,000 cabin crew working with Cathay Pacific and its sister companies. It has fought hard for concessions from airline bosses including extended benefits and holiday pay and a later retirement age.

It is now calling for the airline issue specific guidelines on dealing with sexual harassment.

When Cathay Pacific introduced its new uniforms in 2011, the airline called them 'stylish, elegant and unique' and said they were 'symbolic of a modern Asian airline respected worldwide for quality, style and gracious service.'

It said at the time that the uniform was designed following consultation with both workers and members of its Marco Polo Club and that modifications to it was made after a six-week trial period.

 

Militant: The CPAFAU represents nearly 6,000 cabin crew working with Cathay Pacific and its sister companies. It has fought hard for concessions including extended benefits and holiday pay and a later retirement age

Around the same time as the new uniform was introduced, Cathay Pacific came under heavy criticism for presenting its female flight attendants as 'submissive eye candy'.

An advert the airline ran in the UK in 2011 presented Karina Yau, a stewardess, with the headline 'I just like to listen more than talk.' Photographed in a passive stance - her eyes averted, face turned away and arms pulled into her body - the advert boasts how Ms Yau 'went from fashion model to flight attendant'.

'If you see Karina on your next flight, you might recommend a favourite book - she loves to read,' it adds. Associated online features described Ms Yau as modest, and highlighted her submissive, apologetic nature with a pull quote reading: 'Of course I smiled and apologised immediately.'

Gwen Sharp, associate professor of sociology at Nevada State College wrote on the Society Pages blog that the advert plays on stereotypes of 'Asian women as particularly submissive and docile'.

'The ad and the features present customers with the promise of more than just a flight attendant who will do her job well,' wrote Prof Sharp.

'This flight attendant is the ideal of femininity: she’s beautiful (a former model), she’s submissive (apologizes immediately!), and she’s interested in you — your thoughts, your taste in books — whoever you are.'

An advert for Cathay Pacific: The airline's advertising has come under heavy criticism for portraying female workers as 'eye candy' and playing up to stereotypes of 'Asian women as particularly submissive and docile'

Juliette Franklin, an employment lawyer at Slater & Gordon, said the concerns of Cathay Pacific's flight attendants would amount to a convincing case of sex discrimination if they were working for a British firm.

'The idea of cabin crew being "trolley dollies" is very old fashioned and this kind of treatment wouldn’t wash in the UK now,' she said.

'Tribunals in the UK have upheld claims brought by female employees if it can be shown that they were required to dress in a particular way, and that this would not be required of male colleagues.

'For example, if a female employee is required to wear a blouse which she felt was too low, too tight, or too revealing, there would be an argument that this is discrimination on grounds of sex. It may also amount to sexual harassment.

'No one should have to feel like that in the workplace and thankfully the laws in place in this country mean it would be unlikely to happen in the UK.'

A spokesman for Cathay Pacific defended the uniform and said the airline is committed to a harassment-free environment for both workers and customers.

'We do not tolerate any form of harassment and take the issue of sexual harassment very seriously. We support active measures that discourage and prevent its occurrence in the workplace. This is a society-wide issue that should be addressed by all sectors and industries,' the spokesman said.

'Cathay Pacific has Anti-Harassment Policy which is firmly in place and accessible to all staff. We provide induction and follow-up training on the prevention and elimination of discrimination and harassment in the workplace to all staff to ensure that they are fully acquainted with our corporate policy and handling procedures.

'Cathay Pacific values communication with staff. We also meet with the union regularly to discuss matters of mutual importance and take their comments into consideration.

'Our uniform was launched in July 2011. Crew were consulted during the design stage and there was also a two-month trial period with about 700 crew and ground staff before the actual launch. Their feedback has been taken into consideration.

'We welcome feedback from the crew and certain modifications have also been made after the launch in 2011, including the length of the blouse and the tightness of the skirt. Crew are welcome to exchange their uniform any time if they feel the fit is not right.'

-Dailymail