AirAsia Only Use the Steward to Aceh

INDUSTRY.co.id - Kuala Lumpur- AirAsia airlines will only use stewards for flights to Aceh after provinces in Indonesia impose that Muslim female flight attendants must wear the hijab upon arrival in the region.

"AirAsia recognizes the regulations imposed by the Acehnese territorial authorities We are committed to ensuring that our operations comply with that," an official at AirAsia said in a statement cited by The Star on Thursday (1/2/2018)

He said temporarily all AirAsia flights to and from Aceh will be operated by the male cabin crew.

On Wednesday, January 31, 2018 the Acehnese authorities circulated a letter to Garuda Indonesia airline and other airlines such as AirAsia and Firefly, which ordered female Muslim stewards wearing hijab upon arrival or facing punishment by the sharia police.

Firefly chief executive Ignatius Ong said that the airline could only register men or non-Muslims on their flights to the Indonesian autonomous region.

Ong also said airlines are considering adding additional layers of clothing to female flight attendant uniforms.

"We still see the situation, so no concrete decisions are made," he said.

AirAsia and Firefly are the main airlines that operate flights to Banda Aceh.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia to implement Sharia law. (Ant)