Asiana flight attendant’s struggle during door open incident sparks calls in South Korea to ditch skirts for trousers

A female attendant in skirt had to block the exit to prevent passengers from disembarking through the unsecured passageway after a man opened the door mid-air

Some say the skirts worn by airline staff as uniforms are uncomfortable to perform in-flight safety duties and they should be allowed to don trousers

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A passenger opened a door on an Asiana Airlines flight that later landed safely at Daegu airport on May 26. Photo: Yonhap via AP

Published: 3:08pm, 2 Jun 2023

Calls are growing in South Korea for airline companies to allow and encourage female cabin crew members to wear trousers for their benefit and convenience in their in-flight safety duties after a viral image showed an Asiana Airlines flight attendant wearing a skirt, which was then criticised as not practical after a recent in-flight incident.

On May 26, a male passenger in his 30s allegedly opened an emergency exit of an Asiana plane 213m above the ground just before landing at Daegu International Airport. He told police that he felt suffocated and wanted to get off the plane.

None of the 194 passengers aboard were injured in the incident but 12 passengers were taken to a hospital due to breathing difficulties. Police arrested the man for allegedly violating the Aviation Security Law after questioning him.

On Monday, a photo of the incident shared by an official from Daegu International Airport went viral. In it, a female attendant was seen blocking the emergency exit to prevent passengers from disembarking through the unsecured exit.

The photo triggered reactions online with some saying that the skirts worn by airline staff as uniforms are uncomfortable and unfit for the safety tasks cabin crew members are assigned.

The Aviation Safety Act defines cabin crew as “those who board an aircraft and perform duties for the safety of passengers, such as emergency aircraft evacuation.”

It has been customary for airline companies to provide skirts as uniforms for female cabin crew members. Recently some airlines have begun offering trousers and allow female attendants to choose, but still, a majority of women flight attendants wear skirts.

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Aeroplane door opens mid-flight aboard South Korean Asiana jet