"Not Stewardess but Flight Attendant" ... Will Gender Discrimination Disappear in the Sky?

Korean Air to Standardize Male and Female Cabin Crew Titles from Next Month 1
Trend to Remove Makeup Requirement for Female Flight Attendants and Change Dress Code

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Korean Air has decided to eliminate the term 'stewardess,' which refers to female flight attendants, becoming the first in the domestic aviation industry to do so. This move has drawn attention to whether the term stewardess will disappear across the entire aviation sector.

According to related industry sources on the 26th, Korean Air will unify the titles of male and female cabin crew as 'flight attendant' starting from the 1st of next month. Previously, female cabin crew were called 'stewardess,' and males were called 'steward.' Upon promotion, both genders receive gender-neutral titles such as purser and chief purser.

This is reportedly the first time since Korean Air's establishment in 1969 that the airline has unified the titles of cabin crew. The decision to eliminate gender-distinct titles reflects a judgment that such distinctions no longer align with contemporary societal trends and aims to remove elements of gender discrimination. From next month, all male and female crew members will be referred to as 'flight attendants (FA).'

The First Stewardess in Aviation History Was a Nurse

The first stewardess is known to be Ellen Church, a nurse from Iowa, USA. Her original dream was to become an airplane pilot. However, at that time, the aviation industry was just beginning to grow, and due to societal perceptions that flying was dangerous, it was difficult for women to enter the field.

Church strongly emphasized her background as a nurse. She persuaded the airline that having a nurse on board could reduce passengers' fear, and ultimately secured approval. From the airline's perspective, since the aircraft is airborne and cannot immediately access a hospital, they had no choice but to accept Church's argument.

Church's first flight is known to have taken place on May 15, 1930, from Oakland on a Boeing aircraft, and passenger reactions were positive as she had anticipated. Subsequently, Church was granted the authority to recruit more female flight attendants, and the hiring of stewardesses began to flourish throughout the aviation industry. The history of stewardesses responsible for passenger safety spans over 100 years.

In other countries, there is also a trend to change dress codes for female flight attendants. In October last year, a Ukrainian airline revised its dress code for female crew members. According to the BBC, the Ukrainian low-cost carrier 'SkyUp' replaced the existing uniforms for female flight attendants. SkyUp decided to eliminate high heels, skirts, and blouses, introducing sneakers with loose-fitting orange jackets and pants. However, the regulation mandating makeup remained unchanged.

Mariana Grigorash, SkyUp's Chief Marketing Officer, stated, "The job of a flight attendant is not as romantic and is a demanding one," adding, "We realized that female flight attendants do not want to be perceived in a sexualized or playful manner."

Not only in Ukraine, but British Virgin Atlantic Airlines abolished the makeup requirement for flight attendants, Norwegian Airlines allowed flat shoes and removed mandatory in-flight makeup rules, and a Japanese airline also eliminated the mandatory wearing of high heels.

In South Korea, there have been criticisms regarding dress codes for female flight attendants. In 2012, a domestic airline labor union filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission concerning dress regulations, and in February 2013, the Commission recommended allowing pants as an option.

The Human Rights Commission stated, "The perception that skirts induce a sense of tension, causing flight attendants to pay more attention to their attitude and posture and thus maintain a graceful demeanor, reflects a view that prioritizes customer service over safety in uniform design and regards the fixed external image of female flight attendants as an essential element of service. This is considered to embody a gender-discriminatory perspective on the overall duties performed by female flight attendants." Furthermore, it noted, "There is concern that this could entrench prejudices and biased stereotypes that emphasize femininity over the general role of flight attendants."