Icelandair is under fire for refusing to hire new flight attendants who are more than 35 years old. The chairman of the Flight Attendants Union describes the attitude of Icelandair as a blast from the past arguing stewardesses can perform their duties, despite having turned 35.
Criticies the return of age restrictions abolished in 1973
Icelandair recently advertised it was hiring new stewardesses. The ad stipulated that one of the hiring requirements was that the applicant was not born before 1980. Sigríður Ása Harðardóttir, the chairman of the Flight Attendants Union, told the local news site visir.is that stewardesses had thought age restrictions had been abandoned decades ago.
Until 1973 Loftleiðir, the predecessor of Icelandair, maintained strict age restrictions on stewardesses. A new union contract in 1973 ensured Icelandic stewardesses could for the first time make the occupation a lifetime career. “I fail to see how age can be a factor if people are physically capable of performing their duties on-board,” Sigríður Ása argues.
The spokesman of Icelandair told visir.is the reason for the age restrictions on new hires is due to low turnover of employees, and that the company is trying to even out the age distribution of flight attendants on its planes.
Icelandair is under fire for refusing to hire new flight attendants who are more than 35 years old. The chairman of the Flight Attendants Union describes the attitude of Icelandair as a blast from the past arguing stewardesses can perform their duties, despite having turned 35.
Criticies the return of age restrictions abolished in 1973
Icelandair recently advertised it was hiring new stewardesses. The ad stipulated that one of the hiring requirements was that the applicant was not born before 1980. Sigríður Ása Harðardóttir, the chairman of the Flight Attendants Union, told the local news site visir.is that stewardesses had thought age restrictions had been abandoned decades ago.
Until 1973 Loftleiðir, the predecessor of Icelandair, maintained strict age restrictions on stewardesses. A new union contract in 1973 ensured Icelandic stewardesses could for the first time make the occupation a lifetime career. “I fail to see how age can be a factor if people are physically capable of performing their duties on-board,” Sigríður Ása argues.
The spokesman of Icelandair told visir.is the reason for the age restrictions on new hires is due to low turnover of employees, and that the company is trying to even out the age distribution of flight attendants on its planes.
