Air France resumes flights to Iran which were suspended in 2008 when Iran’s nuclear policy was implemented. Many of the female Air France crew are resistant to the ruling, which asks them to wear pants and a loose fitting jacket on the flight and don a headscarf when outside the plane in Tehran.
Unions for the airline’s cabin crew held talks with management after several female crew members opposed an order to wear a headscarf in Iran.
Air France will fly to Tehran three times a week from 17 April.
The company will introduce an exception so that employees who don’t want to work on the route will be reassigned on other destinations with no sanctions.
A note sent to female cabin crew members requires them to wear a headscarf on their arrival in Tehran. They must also wear the uniform’s long-sleeved jacket and trousers rather than a knee-length dress.
In Iran and at its airports as well it is required by law, even for Westerners or non-Muslim women, to wear a headscarf and long sleeves/skirt/trousers when going out in public. Failure to do this will result in being arrested and fined.
