Photo of flight attendant blocking Korean plane door goes viral on social media

A photo of a female flight attendant wearing a tight skirt blocking the emergency exit of an Asiana Airlines plane has social media users calling on the airline to change its uniform regulations.

On May 28, South Korea's News1 news site posted a photo of a flight attendant blocking the open emergency exit door of an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 during an incident at Daegu airport two days earlier.

"The flight attendant is clinging to the cabin, blocking the door that the 33-year-old man opened earlier. She is trying her best to ensure no further damage occurs while the plane is slowing down. The safety barrier has been erected, but the flight attendant is still struggling to block the door with her body," the Korean news agency's post said.

The photo has gone viral on Korean social media, with many praising the flight attendant's bravery. "I know she's trained for situations like this, but this must have been very scary for the flight attendant," one person wrote.

A flight attendant blocked the emergency exit of an Asiana Airlines plane during the incident on May 26. Photo: News1 — A flight attendant blocked the emergency exit of an Asiana Airlines plane during the incident on May 26. Photo: *News1*

Many people also expressed anger and asked Asiana Airlines to change the uniform regulations for female flight attendants.

"I feel comfortable wearing a skirt, but that's because I'm not ready to react to dangerous situations. In moments of crisis, pants always work better than skirts, allowing for faster and more flexible movements. We're talking about a form of clothing suitable for people responsible for the lives of passengers," one person wrote.

Asiana Airlines allowed female flight attendants to wear pants as uniforms in 2013, but most refused to sign up for them because they feared that "wearing different clothes would lead to negative evaluations at work and loss of promotion opportunities." JTBC also reported in 2018 that the airline's leadership pressured female flight attendants to wear tight skirts and high heels.

"The pants are so uncomfortable to wear that the flight attendants have decided to opt for skirts. The airline's proposal is not enough. We want them to provide pants that are comfortable, stretchy and not see-through. The airline industry needs to start thinking about how to make comfortable uniforms for flight attendants," said another.

"It's heartbreaking to see her risking her life to handle the situation, while wearing a tight dress and high heels. This outfit puts the lives of both the flight attendant and the passengers in danger," a user commented under the News1 article.

Asiana Airlines flight attendant at San Francisco airport in 2012. Photo: Flickriver — Asiana Airlines flight attendant at San Francisco airport in 2012. Photo: *Flickriver*

A 33-year-old male passenger surnamed Lee opened the emergency exit of an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 at an altitude of about 200 meters as the plane was landing at Daegu Airport in South Korea on May 26. None of the 194 passengers were injured, but nine were taken to the hospital due to difficulty breathing and have since been discharged.

During questioning, Lee said he opened the plane door because he "felt stuffy" and wanted to get off quickly. He also said he was "under a lot of pressure because he had just lost his job."

Vu Anh (According to News1 )

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