Katherine BiekFemale flight attendants for a Chinese airline say their uniforms, consisting of a pencil skirt and tight-fitting blouse, are just too sexy.
According to complaints from multiple flight attendants, the Cathay Pacific flight attendant uniform, which can be seen in this video posted to YouTube, shows too much skin and could lead to sexual harassment issues.
Michelle Choi of the Flight Attendants Union told the South China Morning Post: "Whenever a flight attendant bends down, her waistline is exposed. We believe the company intentionally does this to make us look a bit sexier and to let the passenger see more."
Flight attendants believe their uniform, which was introduced back in 2011, is responsible for an increase in the number of sexual harassment incidents that have been reported.
In 1 out of every 10 flights, a female flight attendant for Cathay Pacific will experience problems with sexual harassment, according to NBC.
And the Cathay Pacific flight attendants aren't the only ones who've been harassed by passengers.
The Huffington Post reports 27 percent of Hong Kong flight attendants have been sexually harassed on flights in the past year. That's according to a study released in February by China's Equal Opportunities Commission. In terms of the study, harassment includes anything involving patting, touching, kissing, pinching or staring at a flight attendant in a sexual way.
But the problem goes beyond just the uniforms. Choi told USA Today when a Pacific Cathay flight attendant reports an incident with a passenger, the airline isn't all that helpful.
"When you report it to the flight manager, they always say it is the crew member's decision whether or not to call the police. They tell you, 'It's your decision. Do you want to delay the flight by calling the police?'"
Cathay Pacific told the South China Morning Post the airline has already modified the uniforms after employees complained in 2011. The airline went on to say that any flight attendant who doesn't feel comfortable in his or her uniform is welcome to exchange it for a larger size.
