Whatever happened to the BMI flight attendant that refused to wear the abaya? I heard she had been fired, but was going to file suit against the airline.
Then again…can we mandate Middle Eastern women flight attendants change into tight skirts, high heels, and cleavage revealing blouses upon arrival to the States?
(paraphrased from mirror.co.uk, but funny as hell.)

cirrus1701 on April 30, 2009 at 3:46 pm

huh? What is going on over there? i hope it was just an immature kid, and not a sign of things to come

mindy1 on April 30, 2009 at 8:05 pm

BACK THE LOOBY AND ATTICA RECORDS CAMPAIGN AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED
UPDATE……….
LISA ASHTON ( Marc Ash )
What more could I have asked for.
THIS HAS NEVER BEEN OR EVER WILL BE A POLITICAL STATEMENT OR PROMOTION OF ANY ONE BELIEF OVER ANOTHER. ANY INDIVDIUAL OR ORGANISATION THAT ATTEMPTS TO DO SO DOES NOT HAVE MY SUPPORT AND I DISTANCE MYSELF FROM THEM COMPLETEY.
This is nothing more than an individual standing up to a bullying management style at BMI
A) I worked for the company for nine years before the Saudi route began.
B) As far as we are aware not ONE other airline expects its female staff to walk behind the men irrespective of rank.
C) Some airlines may “advise” it’s female staff to wear the abaya, as far as we are aware only BMI demand it
D) These were BMI imposed demands NOT Saudi demands as there is no RULE in Saudi to the effect of females havinf to walk behind the men
E) I NEVER said “It refuse to fly” I told them 18 months previously “I refuse to fly to Saudi”. The company had many options which they elected not to take that a reasonable company like virtually every other airline in the world would have taken.
I have been totally taken aback by the support right across entire, ethnic, cultural, and political landscape for my plight against BMI, I am thoroughly delighted that support shown via emails, postings are virtually unanimous in thier condemnation of BMI, Those extremely few who do not support me do so from a position of ignorance or inability to read and digest facts that are already in the public domain.
The VERY simple fact is it was NOT the Saudis, but BMI who were attempting to impose on its staff its own “stereotypical” view of Islamic sensibilities. This is insulting, not only to myself, but as postings prove, to my many of my Muslims supporters..
Just one aspect of this PROVED that BMI are totally out of step with what is expected or is the LAW in SAUDI
In a memo from BMI I was sent it states, word for word, “It is expected that female crew members walk behind their male counterparts in public areas such as the airport no matter what rank” .
What is extremely worrying is the ignorance of a British a UK Employment tribunal I quote again, word for word from its findings ” It is not evident to the tribunal that women would regard the requirement to wear a particular item of clothing. the abaya, or to walk behind male colleagues in the airport. as anything more than part of the RULES of a different culture which they should comply when in that country”. …..note the tribunal said rules. There is no proof what so ever there are rules or laws in Saudi on this issue. IT WAS PURELY A DEMAND BY THE BRITISH COMPANY BMI.
AGAIN FOR THE REMOVAL OF DOUBT IT IS BMI stating the women were required to walk behind the men………….NOT THE SAUDIS.
HELP ME SHAME SHAME SHAME BMI
Looby, fronted by McKinney front woman Marc Ash and backed by the elite of Manchester and Nottingham’s music scene, have got together and recorded a cover version of the disco classic “Shame, Shame, Shame”, in order to raise public awareness of the way BMI is treating its workforce.
The musicians involved have agreed to give their time for free and donate performance royalties to the cause, with YOUR help we can really make a difference by SHAME SHAME SHAMiNG BMI to change its policy.
BMI has now dismissed the female cabin crew member because she refused to operate into Saudi and follow BMI’s demands. These instructions, which included informing its female staff that they must walk several paces behind the men, wear an Islamic abaya and remove any proof that the religion that they follow is anything but Islam. This was a requirement.
Demanded by BMI, it is not a legal requirement in Saudi that a female must walk behind the men or indeed that they wear the abaya and headscarf. As Marc Ash stated ìIts outrageous that a British Company the size of BMI would require its British female workforce to have to agree to demands that is not even a requirement or Law in Saudi. I am not aware of any other Airline requiring its female staff to have to walk behind the men!!”
If they did not agree BMI informed the employees that they would in effect suffer a reduction in take home pay of approx. 20/30% from what they had been earning previously by BMI refusing to allow its staff to remain on any of the long haul routes the crews had operated before the introduction of the Saudi duty.
The Marc (Lisa) who refused to operate to Saudi and comply with these BMI demands was summarily dismissed as she refused to take the “opt out” option which amounted to accepting a 20/30% reduction in take home pay.

jimburn on May 1, 2009 at 10:29 am