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The Association of Professional Flight Attendants clearly aren't fans of actress Nicole Kidman's most recent work with Etihad Airways.
According to Hugo Martin of the Los Angeles Times, the organization has recently been critical of Kidman's decision to represent the Middle Eastern carrier in its latest ad campaign, highlighting her status as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for women as the reason why.
The APFA claims that Kidman's roles are conflicting given the substandard treatment of women in the United Arab Emirates.
"The APFA must respectfully ask that you - as a leading advocate for women around the globe - not lend your voice, your image and your good name to Etihad Airways, the second-largest airline in the UAE," stated an open letter from the flight attendants to the 47-year-old actress.
However, the sincerity of the letter is debatable considering that the union has been critical of Eithad for other reasons of late, alleging that the Abu Dhabi-based airline and other Persian Gulf carriers unfairly compete with U.S.-based airlines by relying on government subsidies.
Therefore, the real motivation behind the letter appears murky at best.
Nonetheless, Etihad responded to the Kidman criticism with a statement of its own:
"Our commitment to the welfare, safety and well-being of the diverse group of men and women who have worked so hard to make Etihad Airways great is one of our airline's top priorities," said the airline.
Etihad backed up its claims by citing a recent independent survey in which it received a 93 percent approval rating from its employees.
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