① From Assault and Verbal Abuse to Sexual Harassment
Flight attendants play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers onboard. They provide various services while also performing flight safety duties. Dressed in airline uniforms, some often admire flight attendants for their glamorous appearance. However, the job of a flight attendant is not all glamour. It can be physically demanding and comes with significant mental stress.
Until 2013, sexual harassment cases involving South Korean flight attendants on national carriers numbered only 3 to 4 per year. However, since 2015, this number has increased significantly, with more than 10 cases reported annually.
It is estimated that many cases of sexual harassment go unreported. Flight attendants often choose not to make an issue out of it. One flight attendant from a domestic airline stated, “If you’ve been on an airplane for a few years, wouldn’t everyone have had at least one uncomfortable experience similar to harassment?” Also, they added, “But unless it’s a severe case, it often gets overlooked.”
Another flight attendant mentioned that it’s challenging to speak up about harassment even when it happens onboard. A representative from the aviation industry stated that, regarding sexual harassment incidents involving flight attendants onboard, apart from reporting to the police, there are no specific measures airlines can take. They emphasized that to reduce onboard sexual harassment, public awareness and in-flight announcements are crucial.
② Actions Crossing the Line Towards Flight Attendants
In 2019, on an EVA Air flight departing from Los Angeles, USA, and heading to Taipei, Taiwan, a male passenger asked flight attendants to help him with restroom-related matters. The American male passenger, who weighed around 200 kg, boarded the plane last in a wheelchair. Due to his large size, the economy-class restroom was too small. So, three flight attendants escorted him to the business class restroom.
The passenger continued to call flight attendants, asking them to remove his underwear. He even called them after removing his underwear, demanding assistance cleaning himself. He insisted, saying, “Didn’t you promise to clean it for me?” and shouted without restraint.
The flight attendant revealed the incident at a press conference organized by the Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union, shedding tears as she shared her experience.
In 2016, on a Korean Air flight from Atlanta, USA, to Incheon, South Korea, a foreign male passenger made sexually offensive remarks to a flight attendant. When the flight attendant asked if he needed a towel because his shirt was wet, the passenger responded with sexually suggestive comments. He made comments like, “Should I take off my shirt?” Furthermore, “Let’s have wine together in our seats,” and “I think I would sleep better if you gave me a massage.”
When the flight attendant formally warned him, he threatened, saying, “I will have you fired from the company.” Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, the passenger was handed over to airport police.
Korean Air stated that they would proceed with criminal proceedings against the passenger in the United States and refuse his future boarding on their flights. They also expressed their commitment to taking strong measures in the face of multiple in-flight harassment incidents.
③ Discomfort Hidden Behind Uniforms
The uncomfortable nature of flight attendant uniforms has also been controversial. Flight attendants employed by domestic airlines have spoken out in interviews about strict appearance regulations imposed by their companies. These regulations extend to makeup, uniforms, height, and weight.
The form-fitting uniforms can be physically uncomfortable, as mentioned by a Korean Air flight attendant who said the uniform fits so snugly that it is difficult to walk in. An Asiana Airlines flight attendant complained that since trouser uniforms are not provided, employees have to personally adjust their uniforms to meet the company’s standards, which makes them feel constantly watched by their employers.
A former flight attendant from a foreign airline mentioned that during their work, they were asked by the company to adjust the uniforms of individual flight attendants to fit each person’s body properly. They found the uniform regulations of Korean domestic airlines surprising.
During the 2018 National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Environment and Labor, a Korean Air flight attendant complained about feeling tormented because she had to wear a uniform despite knowing that the company was sexualizing her. She said, “When I’m busy working, my top button often comes undone, or my blouse rises, revealing my waist, which is embarrassing.” The flight attendant’s uniform should focus on enhancing work efficiency, but many aspects have not changed.
By. Seo Sung Min (fv_editor@fastviewkorea.com)
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