Is it discriminatory that Airlines only allow pretty flight attendants?

[TheAmazingGrace]

Everyone naturally loves beauty. I don’t mean to pry, but… we’re you recently passed over for a job? If so I’m sorry

I was not. Thanks for implying that I only care about this issue because I’m an uggo, though.

 

[1ke]

I mean,things (cultural practices) have changed recently in US due to a heavy focus on feminism and political correctness etc so

Things have not changed “recently”. The United States has had laws for a very long time regarding discrimination and bona fide qualifications. I have friends and family that work in the airline industry. I fly frequently for work. Flight attendants are not scheduled or hired based on their looks. They come in all shapes sizes and ages. And sexual orientation’s too.

 

[Gab123]

was not. Thanks for implying that I only care about this issue because I’m an uggo, though.

I didn’t mean to say you were ugly. But even if you were, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, it’s a blessing against vanity?

 

[TheAmazingGrace]

I didn’t mean to say you were ugly. But even if you were, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, it’s a blessing against vanity?

Keep digging the hole.

 

[Jump4Joy]

What do you mean by this?

 

[Jump4Joy]

Why do you think beauty has objective standards?

 

[Mary888]

OK but the women in the article were already employed by the company and were offered jobs but it, just not in the upfront service area and not on planes. They had to work behind counters and not on planes. The uniforms were downsized only for the crews. The women said this is unusual to them because decades ago in the Soviets this was just a job like any other while now is different. Then they contradicted themselves saying also not much has changed since they were supposed to just come home and cook dinner back then too. So my opinion, even though the article shows the sexualized commercials Russian companies use, is these women have just been gathered up some lawyer who saw this as an opportunity. They are not very convinced of what they want here except enough money for a good retirement.

 

[joeybaggz]

First of all, not all flight attendants are pretty. With all that I have seen, most are just average who are primped up with heavy makeup. Not ugly, but not pretty either.

In my entire life, I have seen only a handful of people that are really pretty or handsome. Facewise, most people are just meh. This is the reality.

You obviously didn’t do much flying in the 60’s.

 

[Gab123]

Some societies find heavier women to be the pinnacle of beauty

Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; some people are attracted to fat people. The problem is that the fashion industry usually sets the standard to which other people feel pressure to live up to?

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

I don’t personally have any children,but I guess because just say a mother has a daughter and the daughter tells her she wants to be an air hostess in the future (or similar) and that daughter isn’t particularly attractive.
Isn’t it a bit of a cruel world if the mother would have to say to the daughter that she’s not attractive enough to be able to get that job?
Just based on the face she was born with.What sort of a message does this teach young girls in a world where they are already given a message often enough that their worth is based off their external looks.

You don’t have to have kids to know there is no reason the mother in your scenario has to or should ever say that to her daughter.

 

[dochawk]

Yes. Beauty should not be a pre req.

In the early days of commercial aviation, it was actually a disqualifier for a stewardess.

The airlines didn’t want businessmen’s wives working about their husband an pretty ladies tending to them . . .

Then the pendulum swung, probably reaching its mainstream peak with Southwest, “the love airline”, and stewardesses in hot pants" (the only remnant seems be their home airport of “Love Field” in Texas, and the hearts on the seats.)

Now it’s swung back.

It’s not something I pay attention to, but I don’t recall the last time that I had a strikingly attractive attendant.

Being beautiful could be a qualification for a job as well. Looking at beautiful people (beautiful things actually) usually makes one feel better. This is scientifically proven. And making clients more comfortable is very important in stressful moments such as a flight.

I’m just picturing the board meeting . . . “Our customers have become increasingly apprehensive during the flights, and we need to calm them down. We have narrowed it down to to strategies. Jenkins, would you please explain the court and effectiveness differences between hiring more attractive attendants, and morphine misters in the passenger compartment?”



hawk

 

[Aulef]

Because beauty is a synthesis of objective things that I already mentioned such as symmetry, order, balance,harmony and so on.

We can’t fully understand it because beauty is one of God’s attributes, however we sure have enough perception of it so that we can simply contemplate beautiful things in this world.

 

[LilyM]

I think it boils down to what an earlier poster said - it is the grooming, personality and so on that make a person attractive rather than the other way around.

Someone can have great bone structure and figure but if they look and smell like they’ve not seen a comb or toothbrush for a week, or slouches and mumbles, they won’t create a good impression.

Physically - to be a flight attendant you need to be slim enough to get in and out of tight spaces and up and down narrow aisles without a problem, but also strong enough to lift heavy bags and pull heavy food and drinks trolleys.

And now, some of them need enough energy to be on their feet during super long-haul flights of up to 18 hours in some cases.

Those are all important parts of the job. Plus you’re esentially a walking talking ad for the airline.

 

[Rozellelily]

Gilbert Gottfried

I don’t know about that.
I have seen bouncers both attractive and unattractive facially.
Employers here dont care what their face look likes,as long as that they are muscle and can conjure an “intimidating” presence.

 

[Rhubarb]

I am shocked that a discriminatory policy would come out of Russia. Shocked, I say.

 

[Rozellelily]

I know it was just for a point you were making , but generally I want to point out that I don’t think referring to people as ugly slobs is Catholic charity.

Doesn’t it strike you as unfair that someone should be given an advantage just because they were blessed genetically?
This mentality is like “survival of the fittest” and to me seems diametrically opposed with catholic teachings that people shouldn’t be valued off their external and that all have equal dignity under God.
How can we think this on one hand,but on the other say someone should have an advantage due to their beauty and we support that?
We want to be able to get homeless people jobs,or people who are aged,weathered,naturally unattractive (makeup helps many but not all) so how if we send a mixed message that they will be unemployable or prospects reduced because the pretty young woman that they will be competing against for the job will always have the upper hand?

 

[Rozellelily]

She doesn’t literally have to say it,of course,but sadly the daughter willl find out one way or the other soon enough.

 

[tweedlealice]

We had flight attendants,take the pretty thing to task. I’ve seen older women, still working, waiting for retirement. The size and health of attendants have to be concerns due to size of airplane and work to be done.

 

[Rozellelily]

Please note,my thread is not about slobs in mentality but about naturally unattractive,aged,sagged or weathered etc women.
Makeup can help many women but not all.
The older women in the linked article probably looked like the younger ones when they were young,but now they have aged and metabolism had slowed down etc.

They they are not slobs by any means,but realistically,no amount of makeup or makeup skill is going to make them look like the very beautiful young ones again.

 

[Rozellelily]

Here in Australia,Qantas has an anti age discrimination and the airline has flight attendant women of all ages with different attractiveness (and the gay male ones too).
Virgin on the other hand,and some other ones,still focus on hiring very pretty young ones.