Air hostess attendant finds hot blogs can backfire
By CHRISTINE NEGRONI (The New York Times)
Updated: 2004-11-18 11:25

"Airlines discovered they were on the wrong side of that issue 20 years ago," Mr. Verkerke said. "They've gotten religion. And deeply ingrained in their corporate culture and human relations practices is an aversion to that kind of sexualization."

This change is welcomed by many in the profession, said Tim Kirkwood, a flight attendant for 27 years and author of "The Flight Attendant Job Finder and Career Guide" (Planning/Communications, 2003)." Flight attendants over the years have fought hard to get rid of the image of the sexy stewardess," he said after reviewing Diary of a Flight Attendant, "and it does tend to regress back to that a bit."

Even so, some readers of Diary of a Flight Attendant, like the blogger herself, apparently miss that era. "It seems like they've totally about-faced and now we're not allowed to show any remote sexuality,'' Ms. Simonetti said.

On Oct. 20, this question was posted anonymously on the blog by a self-proclaimed frequent flier: "Why are all of my flight attendants so unattractive when you are so very good looking?"

Ms. Simonetti's replied: "Because Anonymous Airlines fires or indefinitely suspends all of its good-looking flight attendants. They prefer them fat and ugly.''

Because Delta's flight attendants are not unionized, Mr. Verkerke said the airline is not obligated to try to work things out with her, though he suggested that might be a good idea.

Recently, Ms. Simonetti posted the photograph of a supporter wearing a T-shirt which reads, "Queen of Sky is Innocent. Well Innocent (ish)."

"I feel like if they had a problem with it they should have said something to me," Ms. Simonetti said. "If they felt it could have harmful effects on Delta they should have told me that. I would have removed the picture or the whole blog if they asked me to."

Of the potential salaciousness of Ms. Simonetti's photographs, Mr. Kirkwood, the veteran flight attendant, is circumspect. "I think this has been blown up out of proportion," he said. "So we saw a little bra strap, big deal. Compared to what the passengers wear, she's overdressed."

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