by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Thu February 23, 2017
When running an airline, it's important to treat your flight attendants with class, sophistication and decency. Or, you could always do what Aeroflot just purportedly did.
The Sun (h/t The Toronto Sun) fields some seriously troubling charges from attendant Yevgenia Magurina who states, "They told us all that only the young and thin will fly abroad for Aeroflot."
Those deemed too old or too big will be relegated to domestic flights only, losing out on the lucrative compensation that comes with International flights.
Magurina continues, "We were all photographed en masse and measured-some were even weighed."
Another attendant, under anonymity, echoes that charge saying that attendants were weighed, "like cows."
Magurina, who has been working in the industry for 15 years, states that the explanation for such drastic measures was all about branding: "This was done under the pretext of company rebranding and ordering new uniforms for staff."
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By now, your jaw is somewhere around your feet. We suggest picking it up and carrying on because there are even more astounding items in the report.
According to The Sun, the number of affected attendants, those that are now forced to stay home, effectively, rests at about 400.
As to some tangible figures, Magurina states there was more than just an apparent visual assessment: "They stopped putting anyone on international flights if they are older than 40 or take more than a (Russian) size 48 (UK - 16)."
Magurina states that she now has to deal with an itinerary based solely on domestic locations, including the hardships that come with flying to Siberia.
The attendant explains, "When I asked what's going on, they told me these are the new rules of the game and that I was removed from international flights because of my clothes size - it mustn't be more than a 46, and I'm a 48."
Aeroflot, for its part, refutes these claims. The report also publishes a statement from the airline: "Aeroflot therefore robustly denies these baseless allegations. Aeroflot does not place geographical restrictions on where its cabin staff may fly and it does not restrict flight time for members of staff based on age or any other physical attributes, such as appearance."
The statement then specifically calls out Ms. Magurina and her accusations, citing specifics that counter the charge: "Evgenia Magurina, serves passengers on international and domestic flights, including to the US (for which she has a valid visa). Aeroflot has thoroughly investigated Ms Magurina's claims and has found no evidence to support her allegation. Hundreds of Aeroflot's cabin crew are aged over 40 and regularly work on international flights to destinations in North America, Europe, Japan, China and elsewhere. The claim that the expert medical commission has been instructed to remove 'old and ugly' cabin crew from flight duties is untrue. In 2016, only four members of cabin crew aged between 56 and 60 failed mandatory medical examinations allowing them to fly, while 98 passed and continue to serve on flights both internationally and within Russia."
The accusations have now made their way to Vladimir Putin, but there is no mention as to whether there will be an investigation launched to verify the veracity of the claims.
If true, we would like to remind Aeroflot that age, according to the timeless wisdom that is Aaliyah, ain't nothing but a number.
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