Vueling Airlines fined for discrimination

Apr 14 2023 Travel trends

Discrimination within cabin crew rules

Vueling Airlines, a Spanish airline, has been fined 30,000 euros by the Catalan labor inspectorate. The reason: discrimination in cabin crew rules. While male flight attendants only need a clean and well-groomed appearance, female flight attendants must comply with a variety of specific rules, such as wearing shoes with five- to eight-centimeter heels, applying makeup in their own skin tone and using black mascara.

The labor inspectorate said that Vueling could also achieve its corporate image in a "more balanced way" without compromising fundamental staff rights. The decision vindicates the cabin crew union, which had filed a complaint.

Looser rules for all flight attendants

In recent years, many airlines have begun to relax their rules for cabin crew. Virgin Atlantic, for example, eliminated the makeup requirement as early as 2019, Swiss allowed women to wear lace-up shoes and men to wear hairstyles such as undercuts and bun in 2021, and Condor and Eurowings have allowed all crew members to wear nail polish and visible tattoos since 2022.

The labor regulator's decision shows that companies like Vueling should reconsider their policies to ensure they are fair and balanced. It is important that airlines design their rules in a way that does not discriminate against staff and allows staff to do their jobs without restrictions.

Tolerance and inclusiveness of all flight attendants

It is good to see that many airlines have already changed their rules to ensure that they are more inclusive and accommodate the different needs and preferences of their staff. Companies should always remember that their employees are the face of the company and it is important that they feel comfortable and safe doing their jobs.