Soups From Ghana, joined Jun 2004, 3438 posts, RR: 15 Posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 3712 times:
I heard that women are not allowed to work on any SV a/c, unless their husbands are on the same a/c....
does that apply to other airlines flying in saudi airspace?
Next destinations, Suarabaya, beirut, paris, Accra
KEno From Malaysia, joined Feb 2004, 1841 posts, RR: 31 Reply 2, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 3677 times:
I flew with SV in 1996 and their f/a were *mostly* females. Being a Malaysian, I was taken aback when I was greeted in Malay when I boarded the plane - it turned out that the girl was from Indonesia. Another f/a I came across was from the Philippines.
Saudi Arabian f/a, like many other arab countries do not employ their own female nationals but use foreign employees instead. There are no restrictions whatsoever on foreign carriers serving Saudi Arabia.
[Edited 2004-06-29 13:31:59]
Sentiasa Melepasi Jangkaan bersama Penerbangan Malaysia
Sleak76 From Kuwait, joined Nov 2000, 345 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 3665 times:
Soups,
Female cabin crew do work onboard SV flights. I've seen them before and know a couple of them (who are, in fact, Irish and British nationals). They pay good
LY7E7,
Women travellers are allowed onboard without their husbands/supervisors. What I think you mean is that local (Saudi) women aren't allowed to leave the country without their husbands/male relative prior approval. If the husband/close relative approves her flying out of the country, to where ever she wants to go, then they are free to leave. Its a Ministry of Interior (immigration) procedure and not an SV (airline) thing.
N757kw From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 427 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 3068 times:
Before I ask a few questions, I will preface by saying the only majority Muslim nation I have been to is Indonesia. I have never flown on a Middle Eastern carrier. I have not had the opportunity to travel to the Middle East. I hope to one day.
Just out of curiosity. Do any of the F/As working for Middle Eastern airlines wear the hajib (spelling, also using my wife's interpretation of the hajib as just being a head covering)? I have flown in Indonesia and have not seen any women F/As wearing the hajib in the cabin. I have seen airline ground staff wearing the hajib in Indonesia.
Also, from many of the aviation magazines I have seen, the pictures or ads from Middle Eastern Airlines show foreign national F/As. I have only seen one picture of an Iran Air crew in which the F/As were wearing the hajib. So, I guess this leads to the ultimate question of, do Muslim women work as F/As? I also know from my experience in Indonesia, that not all Muslim women wear the hajib.
N757KW
"What we've got here, is failure to communicate." from Cool Hand Luke
Horus From Egypt, joined Feb 2004, 5230 posts, RR: 62 Reply 12, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 3059 times:
Do any of the F/As working for Middle Eastern airlines wear the hajib
As far as I know only Saudi Arabian Airlines and Iran Air have F/As wearing the head scarf/hijab.
So, I guess this leads to the ultimate question of, do Muslim women work as F/As? I also know from my experience in Indonesia, that not all Muslim women wear the hajib.
Yes, Muslim women work as F/As in every single major Arab national carrier (to my knowledge). Egyptair currently have the largest number of woman pilots in the Middle East with around 70.
About the hijab, it is true many Muslim women do not wear the hijab, even though it is considered by most to be obligatory.
N757kw From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 427 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 3030 times:
Thanks Horus! It is nice to have an answer.
N757KW
"What we've got here, is failure to communicate." from Cool Hand Luke
Mandala499 From Indonesia, joined Aug 2001, 6210 posts, RR: 74 Reply 15, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2882 times:
The only airline in Indonesia requiring the religious attire for F/A was Seulawah Air, which was supposed to represent the region of Aceh. Unfortunately the airline was never based there, suffered from heavy corruption, and the customers here didn't really like their service and their uniform...
So, women don't have an option as to wearing the headscarf as F/As in Indonesia... it's either on (Seulawah Air), or Off (all the other airlines).
Indonesian F/As working in Saudia have a reputation of having the silliest of parties during their breaks back here... Escape from the Golden Prison!
Mandala499
When losing situational awareness, pray Cumulus Granitus isn't nearby !
SV777KiloAlpha From Saudi Arabia, joined Dec 2003, 266 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2740 times:
LY7E7,
The law in Saudi Arabia is that boys below the age of 21 and all females are not allowed to travel abroad without their Husband/Father approval. The norm in the Kingdom is that all females now carry a small document with their passport that gives them the right to travel alone. This document is issued by the Passport Office upon the Father/Husband request. I can tell you that 90% of the females in SA have this document.
Uadc8contrail From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1782 posts, RR: 10 Reply 17, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2723 times:
have 1 cousin who is a female SV f/a.....she is from waterford ireland and when she is in saudi arabia on lay overs she stays at a all female dorm(if you call it that)courtesy of SV...pay is good but according to her the life style blows
Babybus From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 3537 posts, RR: 6 Reply 20, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2591 times:
Soups
There are women on board but they are not Saudi women. They are mostly from Malaysia, Lebanon and places like that.
I feel real sorry for female F/A's as the Saudi male F/A' s don't do a stroke of work. Some of them even fall asleep on the seats for the entire flt when they should be working.
It's not a nice life for these ladies, believe me.
and with that..cabin crew, seats for landing please.
Sleak76 From Kuwait, joined Nov 2000, 345 posts, RR: 2 Reply 21, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2570 times:
Babybus has a point..
Though SV does have female crew, they do not have any Saudi female nationals as crew. I say this from past experience flying with that airline.
They dont have female nationals working as aircrew mostly because of society still being conservative. But then again, this is not an SV thing only, but all Gulf airlines face a lack of applications from female citizens of their home operating base. EK, GF, QR and KU can count the number of female nationals working as aircrew on one hand. I would say that probably WY (Oman Air) might have abit more than the Gulf average.
I know the Kuwaiti woman who do fly as aircrew with KU tend to fly on the 320 routes only - doing KWI-XXX-KWI on the same day. Society is more accepting of that (out and back in the same day) than being abroad for days on end without - what is seen as - protection of a male counterpart.
WY opeartes mostly short-haul flights with the 738's and that is why its not unusual to see abit more female nationals working onboard their flights than other Gulf carriers.
SV777KiloAlpha From Saudi Arabia, joined Dec 2003, 266 posts, RR: 3 Reply 22, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2558 times:
Babybus,
You are really being unfair to Saudi male F/A. There the best among F/A in the Middle East. They are hard working and very pleasant.
There is nothing in SV policy that prohibits Saudi F/A. Saudi females would rather work close to home than be in a different city every other night.
Slider From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6518 posts, RR: 36 Reply 24, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2426 times:
The law in Saudi Arabia is that boys below the age of 21 and all females are not allowed to travel abroad without their Husband/Father approval. The norm in the Kingdom is that all females now carry a small document with their passport that gives them the right to travel alone. This document is issued by the Passport Office upon the Father/Husband request. I can tell you that 90% of the females in SA have this document.
It's disturbing to me that no one here has taken umbrage to the fact that Saudi Arabia considers women a subservient class. But at least they carry their paperwork and proof of ownership with them.
25 Sleak76: Slider proof of ownership? That's twisting it around abit.
26 LY7E7: SV777KiloAlpha: Thanks for the info! BTW, if 90% are carrying the document and I would like to believe that this number will grow to be a 100%, why n
27 Soups: sso that women don'r run away.... lol u cant loose the item
28 SV777KiloAlpha: Slider, Saudi Arabia considers women a subservient class. This is not true at all. You are just being offensive and trying to move the discussion tow
29 KEno: Babybus : There are women on board but they are not Saudi women. They are mostly from Malaysia, Lebanon and places like that I think you meant Indones
30 Babybus: Actually, I think I meant the Philippines. And you are right KEno there are F/A's from Indonesia too!
31 Soups: it might stoopid question but are there any US f/a working for SV
32 SV777KiloAlpha: Soups, The majority of female F/A on SV flights are from: 1. Philippines 2. Morocco 3. Pakistan Male F/A are 90% Saudis. And no there are no US F/A cu
33 Slider: Saudi Arabia considers women a subservient class. This is not true at all. You are just being offensive and trying to move the discussion towards woma
34 Ady: I remember reading somewhere a while back that Saudi Arabia Airlines will allow its own nationals to work as F/A's on domestic routes and not on inter
35 SWA TPA: A few years ago I saw a SV crew walking thru MCO. As I remember they were all women and wore a beautiful uniform! Some wore teal, others wore green. Y
36 Babybus: SV: Male F/A are 90% Saudis. What about the other 10% or don't they bother. It is only Saudi men who are allowed to work onboard. Apparently it is to
37 Sleak76: Guys This conversation has really veered off the topic. At least SV is changing and making a change. Give them credit for that. It takes time and not
38 SV777KiloAlpha: Babybus What about the other 10% or don't they bother The remaining 10% are mostly senior F/A from other Arab countries. Sleak76, Thank you. HZ-AKA
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