All-male crew on AirAsia’s Aceh flights

PETALING JAYA: Budget airline AirAsia will roster only male stewards on flights to and from Aceh, after the Indonesian province said that Muslim air hostesses will have to don the hijab upon arrival in the region.

“AirAsia acknowledges the regulation imposed by the authority of Aceh region. We are committed to ensuring that our operations adhere to it.

“For the time being, all AirAsia flights from and to Aceh will be operated by male cabin crews,” AirAsia said in a brief statement.

Yesterday, Aceh authorities circulated a letter to Indonesian carrier Garuda Indonesia and other budget carriers such as AirAsia and Firefly, ordering Muslim female flight attendants to wear the tudung (headscarf ) upon arrival, or face punishment by the religious police.

Firefly chief executive officer Ignatius Ong said the airline may roster only males or non-Muslims on its flights to the Indonesian autonomous region.

Ong also said the budget airline was considering adding an additional layer of clothing to the uniforms of its female flight attendants.

“We are still assessing the situation. No concrete decision has been made yet,” he said when contacted.

AirAsia and Firefly are the main foreign carriers operating flights to Banda Aceh.

Aceh is the only Indonesian province to have implemented syariah law.