Legislators on Monday froze part of the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s (CAA) budget until it delivers a report on how to ensure gender neutral uniform options on airlines.
Flight attendants from the nation’s major airlines have been protesting what they call unfair and unsafe uniform rules, which require women to wear tight skirts, high heels and makeup.
Legislators in the Transportation Committee on Monday brought up the issue while reviewing the CAA budget.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
The majority of international airlines have already loosened uniform restrictions, but in Taiwan, only Tigerair allows female flight attendants the choice of wearing pants, they said.
To encourage the CAA to intervene, the committee voted to freeze 10 percent of its general administrative budget for next year until it delivers a report on airlines’ efforts to eliminate gender-based discrimination.
CAA Director-General Lin Kuo-shian (林國顯) said that the agency attaches great importance to the issue.
There are no regulations on flight attendant dress, with companies left to design uniforms themselves, Lin said.
The agency has already requested that the airlines provide more diverse options, he said.
Most agree, but need time to design and produce new uniforms, he said, adding that the CAA would hold a meeting with the airlines within three months to discuss their progress.
In response, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) questioned why the airlines need years to redesign the uniforms when they only need to offer one additional set of pants, and urged the CAA to add more pressure on the companies.
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