An investigation has revealed that accusations of sexual harassment by Air France flight attendants against male crew members have been ignored. The airline now says it is determined to support victims, but aviation staff say it remains challenging for them to speak out.
Anne Rigail, the CEO of Air France, has promised to strengthen the company’s “prevention and victim support system… with a focus on awareness and accelerating the training of all our staff”.
The airline will provide staff with an independent listening unit, and set up a dedicated service to tackle sexual discrimination and harassment.
“The protection of our 40,000 employees is a priority,” Rigail said, following a meeting with France’s transport minister Philippe Tabarot last week. “Everyone must be able to perform their duties without fear of harassment or sexist behaviour.”
‘He pinned me against the ovens’
Tabarot had demanded “explanations” from the French airline following the publication of an investigation by Radio France in which several female flight attendants complained of widespread sexual harassment, often by superiors.
Staff are angered by a culture that has allowed the normalisation of sexist behaviour, particularly during layovers.
Flight attendant Dominique described a dinner with two pilots, at which she accidentally dropped her credit card near one of their feet.
“He spread his legs, picked it up, then rubbed it against his crotch before putting it in his mouth. Then he leaned over the table, got close to my face, and I realised he wanted me to retrieve my credit card with my mouth.”
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