Singapore Airlines will no longer fire pregnant flight attendants

Singapore, Oct 11 (EFE).- Singapore Airlines, Singapore’s flag carrier, has abandoned the controversial practice of firing stewardesses who become pregnant, now offering the possibility that they spend the gestation period fulfilling other functions in the company.

According to a statement from Singapore Airlines published Monday by the official newspaper Straits Times who inquired about the policy, criticized for more than a decade, the new policy in place since July 15 is intended to “support our staff during your pregnancy.

Until then, stewardesses were forced on unpaid leave when they reported their pregnancy and forced to leave the company the day after processing the baby’s birth registration.

During the gestation period, the company did not offer any other employment and, after the birth, the affected women had to apply again for positions under a company job recovery program without guarantees.

According to the airline, pregnant flight attendants will still be placed on unpaid leave, but will be able to apply for “ground” positions, such as administrative work or event management, without ensuring that all who apply will be relocated.

Since July, the right to maternity leave for 16 weeks after birth has also been included, subsequently allowing flying again.

The conditions of Singapore Airlines have been harshly criticized over the past decade by women’s rights groups, while it is suspected that the changes have more to do with a shortage of personnel in the airlines after the pandemic than with a turn of events.

With the current changes, the island airline is on a similar plane in terms of pregnancy and maternity as regional competitors, such as Japan Airlines, Korean Air or Asiana Airlines. EFE

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