Stowing a stewardess defended by airline
Print Edition
A PHOTOGRAPH of airline security staff pushing a Kunming Airlines air stewardess into a plane’s overhead compartment has been revealed as depicting an initiation rite.
The picture, which circulated widely online, showed the woman in her red uniform covering her face as she is crammed into the compartment. Another picture shows the compartment being closed with the stewardess inside.
The photo prompted several news reports which revealed the practice as an initiation for stewardesses completing their first flight.
The airline responded by saying the stewardesses were “very happy” to be put into compartments.
“Everyone in our company is very familiar with each other and gets along very well,” a statement on the airline’s microblog said. It said it was “just a way of celebrating the completion of their first flight and there is no malicious behavior of any kind.”
However, the statement also said that the incident was “personal behavior,” it “never encouraged such things” and that the people involved had been reprimanded in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Media reports said the practice had been in place for years and new stewardesses often had no choice but to accept it.
According to an article on the Guangzhou Daily website, some stewardesses had tried to report the practice to airline authorities, but to little effect.
China.com.cn said an air stewardess from China Southern Airlines, requesting anonymity, said there were various celebrations for new recruits but they never involved putting people in overhead compartments. A stewardess from Hainan Airlines told the website she thought such acts were “inappropriate.”
The topic drew more than 50,000 comments on web portal netease.com.
“They claim it’s just a joke, but is it even allowed by aviation regulations?” asked one contributor. “If it’s OK, then I might as well try the compartment when I board your aircraft next time.”
“This is humiliating,” said another.
Others seem not to be bothered, calling the practice part of corporate culture.
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