Airline causes controversy and threatens flight attendants if they gain weight

Although it is known that, to be a flight attendant, there are several standards that those interested in belonging to a crew must meet, recently, a Chinese airline is in the midst of controversy for the issuance of a strict policy that involves the weight of their hostesses.

Chinese airline, Hainan Airlines, communicated to its cabin crew the company's new rules, which includes, staying within a stipulated weight, otherwise, if your weight exceeds the “standard limit” in a 10% would be sanctioned.

Flight attendants working for Hainan Airlines will be immediately grounded if their weight exceeds the “standard limit” by 10%, Chinese state media reported. https://t.co/LbnJRH86TM

— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) June 14, 2023

The guidelines that Hainan Airlines Considers to Define the standard weight is based on the height of the flight attendants. Likewise, all those women who were suspended would be placed on a strict “weight loss plan” supervised by the company.

This policy has caused great outrage among its community and they question its legality.

Hainan Airlines, recognized as one of the largest airlines of China, also stressed in the report the importance of the appearance of the flight attendants for the image of the company.

Regarding this peculiar imposition, several have expressed their displeasure, such is the case of Liu Tao, a lawyer in Dalian, China, with more than 10 years of experience in labor disputes and civil rights, in conversation with News noted that the airline's policy was “highly inappropriate and obviously illegal in China” and could constitute employment discrimination.

“Although China once had national legislation allowing weight standards for flight attendants, it was abolished in 2001,” Liu said.

“This weight standard could only be legitimized if Hainan Airlines requested the agreement of each employee for advance with signed notices and consent forms,” the attorney stressed.