According to Singapore Airlines Ltd., pregnant cabin staff no longer have to quit the airline, changing a long-standing and often criticized policy.
Singapore Air stated in a statement in response to a story in the Straits Times on Monday that pregnant flight attendants “may opt to work in a temporary ground attachment” and can resume flying responsibilities after maternity leave.
The publication said that before the new regulations became effective on July 15, flight attendants who declared they were pregnant were compelled to leave the airline the day after presenting their child’s birth certificate. According to the report, the pregnant crew was not offered groundwork, and to resume flying, and they had to reapply for a new job via a procedure that did not ensure re-employment.
Singapore Air maintained the policy in the face of more than a decade of criticism. As long ago as 2010, gender equality groups were blasting the rules as discriminatory and unfair. The carrier is finally softening its approach with the aviation industry facing a post-pandemic labor shortage.
In its statement, Singapore Air said that under its previous policy, “cabin crew left the service when they were pregnant.” The airline said that ground placements for pregnant cabin crew last at least three months and as long as nine months.
“We continue to work hard to retain our talented people,” it added.
Still, the conditions attached to the placements aren’t clear.
According to The Straits Times, pregnant cabin workers will still be put on unpaid leave, according to a Singapore Air memo. The airline will provide as many of these positions as feasible to preserve their pay, and they will be permitted to apply for employment on the ground.
According to Corinna Lim, executive director of the Association of Women for Action and Research, there are still specific unresolved issues that Singapore Air hasn’t addressed. “Are there any additional requirements for physical appearance, either stated or implied, that would prevent post-partum moms from flying with SIA? Baby weight loss often takes six to twelve months, “explained Lim.
According to the Straits Times, Singapore Air answered questions by saying it upheld “the same grooming standards for all cabin workers.”
When questioned by Bloomberg if the updated policy guaranteed pregnant cabin workers ground duty, the airline didn’t comment.
