Singapore Air gained’t fireplace pregnant flight attendants anymore

Singapore Airlines Ltd. mentioned pregnant cabin crew can stay staff, reversing a longstanding and much-criticized rule that they go away the airline.

Responding to a Straits Times article on Monday, Singapore Air mentioned pregnant cabin crew “may choose to work in a temporary ground attachment” and might resume flying duties after maternity go away.

Before the brand new guidelines, which took impact on July 15, stewardesses who disclosed they have been pregnant have been placed on go away with out pay and compelled to give up the airline the day after submitting their little one’s beginning certificates, the newspaper mentioned. There was no floor work for pregnant crew, and with the intention to fly once more, they needed to reapply for a recent job beneath a program that didn’t assure re-employment, in line with the report.

Singapore Air maintained the coverage within the face of greater than a decade of criticism. As way back as 2010, gender equality teams have been blasting the foundations as discriminatory and unfair. With the aviation trade going through a post-pandemic labour scarcity, the service is lastly softening its method.

‘Left service’

In an announcement, Singapore Air mentioned that beneath its earlier coverage, “cabin crew left the service when they were pregnant.” Now, floor placements for pregnant cabin crew final a minimum of three months and so long as 9 months, the airline mentioned.

“We continue to work hard to retain our talented people,” it added.

Still, the circumstances connected to the placements aren’t clear.

The Straits Times — citing a round from Singapore Air — reported that pregnant cabin crew will nonetheless be positioned on go away with out pay. They can be allowed to use for a place on the bottom and the airline will provide as many of those jobs as attainable to keep up their salaries, the newspaper reported.

With the adjustments in place, Singapore Air appears nearer aligned with regional rivals.

Japan Airlines Co, for instance, mentioned pregnant crew are provided jobs on the bottom till maternity go away, after which they will return to regular duties. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Inc. each provide as a lot as two years go away for pregnant flight attendants, representatives mentioned. Qantas Airways Ltd. in Australia affords work on the bottom adopted by maternity go away, and people returning to the air can even negotiate part-time roles.

In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. mentioned in an announcement that “once cabin crew declare their pregnancy, they may choose to take up paid ground duties or go on unpaid leave until the start of their statutory maternity leave.” Crew can return to flying duties after they have efficiently handed the related security coaching programs and such insurance policies have been in place for over a decade, the service mentioned.

Association of Women for Action and Research Executive Director Corinna Lim was quoted within the Straits Times article as saying there are nonetheless grey areas that Singapore Air hasn’t addressed. “Are there other rules, explicit or implicit, that will bar post-partum mothers from flying for SIA, such as requirement on physique? Losing baby weight takes time, usually six to 12 months,” Lim mentioned.

Singapore Air, when requested, mentioned it maintained “the same grooming standards for all cabin crew,” in line with the Straits Times.

The airline didn’t reply to Bloomberg when requested if pregnant cabin crew have been assured a floor function beneath the revised coverage.