Air France flight attendants say they'll refuse Iran trips

[golden hawk]

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world ... ly-to-iran

Air France flight attendants, upset at order to wear headscarves, say they will refuse to fly to Iran


Air France flight attendants, furious at being ordered to wear headscarves in Tehran, say they will refuse to fly to the Iranian capital when the airline resumes the service later this month.

Female members of flight crews have been ordered to cover their hair once they disembark in Tehran and unions are demanding that the flights be made voluntary for women.

The resumption of a thrice-weekly service between Paris and Tehran, planned for April 17 after an eight-year break, follows a thaw in relations since Iran agreed to dismantle large sections of its nuclear programme.

Iranian women have been forced by law to cover their hair or face stiff fines or even imprisonment since 1979.

It is not professional and they see it as an insult to their dignity.
In staunchly secular France, however, public signs of religion have been frowned upon since a 1905 law separated church and state.

French women see Islamic headscarves and veils as an affront to their dignity. They are banned in state schools and offices, and it is illegal to wear the full-face veil in public.

Flore Arrighi, head of the UNAC flight crews’ union, said: “It is not our role to pass judgment on the wearing of headscarves or veils in Iran. What we are denouncing is that it is being made compulsory. Stewardesses must be given the right to refuse these flights.”

She added that female staff were entitled to exercise “individual freedoms.”

However, the financially ailing French airline, which sees the resumption of Tehran flights as an “excellent” business development, pointed out that other airline staff are obliged to comply with Iranian rules.

“Tolerance and respect for the customs of the countries we serve are part of the values of our company,” a spokesman said.

In Saudi Arabia, female flight attendants must wear the “abaya,” a long robe that covers the body but, unlike Saudi women, are not compelled to wear face veils.

Air France argued that French law allows “the restriction of individual liberties” if “justified by the nature of the task to be accomplished.”

Christophe Pillet, the deputy head of the SNPNC flight crews’ union, said: “Female staff do not wish to have dress regulations imposed on them.”

Female flight attendants normally have a choice between a uniform with a skirt or trousers, but they have been instructed to wear a long jacket and trousers on Tehran flights.

Pillet said staff were prepared to wear headscarves in Iran when out of uniform, but objected to being ordered to wear them as part of their uniform.

Unions want the Tehran flights to be made voluntary without penalties for staff, deductions from wages or consequences for their careers.

UNAC has written to Laurence Rossignol, the minister for women’s rights and families, complaining about the headscarf order.

Rossignol, who describes herself as “a feminist with a modern vision of the family”, was embroiled in a row over headscarves last month prompted by Marks and Spencer’s decision to sell the burkini, or full body swimsuit.

Women who wear veils or Islamic headscarves, she said, were like “negroes who supported slavery”.

Francoise Redolfi, another UNAC official, said Air France had told staff it was restoring rules that applied before 2008, when the carrier discontinued flights to Iran as the country’s relations with Western nations deteriorated because of concerns that it was seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

“The general environment now is much more sensitive,” she said. “Many female members of flight crews have informed us that it is out of the question that they be obliged to wear headscarves. It is not professional and they see it as an insult to their dignity.”

[fish4life]

Good for them, if a company said I had to fly somewhere but when I got off the plane I had to where some sort of clothing item I'd tell them to pound sand as well

[Pratt X 3]

Good for them, if a company said I had to fly somewhere but when I got off the plane I had to where some sort of clothing item I'd tell them to pound sand as well

[awitzke]

Or, you know because they don't believe in their religion.

[co-joe]

So what is the deal with Muslims and women's hair anyway? So it's illegal, but why?

[midwingcrisis]

I could just imagine what would happen if male flight attendants were to replace them.

[mmm..bacon]

I could just imagine what would happen if male flight attendants were to replace them.

i thought homosexuality wasnt allowed in muslim countries!

[longjon]

a law in 1905 separating church and state! I now have a new respect for the French.

[Moesif]

I could just imagine what would happen if male flight attendants were to replace them.

i thought homosexuality wasnt allowed in muslim countries!

[DanWEC]

I dunno. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so. You act appropriate to the country you're in. So isn't this just the same thing? People not respecting another country's customs while in it?

[awitzke]

Customs /= Religious Rules

[Longtimer]

It is indeed a case of when in "Rome" .......

[midwingcrisis]

You will see more "headscarves" currently in France than Iran

[DSoup]

I dunno. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so. You act appropriate to the country you're in. So isn't this just the same thing? People not respecting another country's customs while in it?

Agreed, if you're in an industry that travels to other countries, then you can be expected to follow the laws of those countries you travel to.

I bet if Air France offered an extra $1/hr this would be a moot point.

[Rookie50]

I dunno. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so. You act appropriate to the country you're in. So isn't this just the same thing? People not respecting another country's customs while in it?

Agreed, if you're in an industry that travels to other countries, then you can be expected to follow the laws of those countries you travel to.

I bet if Air France offered an extra $1/hr this would be a moot point.

Without question.

And I'm sure it's fun being a Muslim family in America these days.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/02/us/muslim ... index.html

Of course everyone assumes they must have been up to something.

[Nark]

I dunno. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so. You act appropriate to the country you're in. So isn't this just the same thing? People not respecting another country's customs while in it?

Agreed, if you're in an industry that travels to other countries, then you can be expected to follow the laws of those countries you travel to.

I bet if Air France offered an extra $1/hr this would be a moot point.

Without question.

And I'm sure it's fun being a Muslim family in America these days.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/02/us/muslim ... index.html

Of course everyone assumes they must have been up to something.

That's story is bullshit.

So... Being Muslim allows you to circumvent safety rules put in place by the FAA.
Must be nice.

Reminds me of the story about a Muslim crying discrimination about not being served a full can of coke going into DC.

[all_ramped_up]

I dunno. I'm kind of on the fence with this one. We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so. You act appropriate to the country you're in. So isn't this just the same thing? People not respecting another country's customs while in it?

I was thinking the same thing.

Just put on a pair of pants and scarf and deal with it. Not like they're going to be visiting there long!

[iflyforpie]

We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us, and I think rightly so.

No, Canadians get angry when immigrants try to practise their Charter (or if you hate Trudeau, their Implied Bill of Rights) guaranteed rights regarding freedom of religion.

[bald seagull]

We get angry if immigrants to Canada try to impose their culture on us

No we don't. Our current doorknob PM proves otherwise! Bends over backwards for them, and makes Canadians adapt to them!

[7ECA]

No we don't. Our current doorknob PM proves otherwise! Bends over backwards for them, and makes Canadians adapt to them!

'Albertan, by chance?

[duCapo]

No we don't. Our current doorknob PM proves otherwise! Bends over backwards for them, and makes Canadians adapt to them!

'Albertan, by chance?

You don't have to Albertan to despise that little twat.

[Hockaloogie]

Better an Iranian headscarf than an Iranian necktie...

[DanWEC]

Update today, looks like Air France will allow refusal of F/A's to take the route.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/ ... ement.html

[I WAS Birddog]

Women who wear veils or Islamic headscarves, she said, were like “negroes who supported slavery”.

...unless of course you were an actual slave of the 'African persuasion' at some point in history that wore head scarves...

...then yeah....your foaming-at-the-mouth analogy does have some merit as does my exaggeration to the ridiculousness of religious induced culture.



#Idiots

[DSoup]

So... Being Muslim allows you to circumvent safety rules put in place by the FAA.
Must be nice.

Which safety rules? Children can sit in the seat without a car seat or be held in a parents lap. And they were let on the next flight, so obviously the "safety" concern had nothing to do with their children's seating arrangements.