Stewardess wins battle over airline's "beautiful girls" policy

The Hong Kong-based airline had an age limit of 45 for air stewardesses even though male attendants were allowed to work to 55 before the policy was amended last year.

Helen Tsang Hei-lun, 48, a former chief purser who was forced out before the policy change, won her case against the airline for sex discrimination in a ruling announced on Friday, the South China Morning Post reported. Her lawyer Hector Pun had told the court: "The rationale behind the policy was that only beautiful girls could work. If you were ugly, you could not work."

Tsang, who now works for United Airlines, worked with Cathay Pacific for 20 years but had to apply for an extension of her contract every year after she reached the age of 40 under the old company rules. Cathay Pacific said it was disappointed with the ruling and would consult lawyers over whether to appeal, the Post reported. The level of damages Tsang is entitled to will be decided at a later date. Counsel for Cathay Pacific had argued the airline was liable because Hong Kong's Sex Discrimination Ordinance did not come into effect until December 1996, after Tsang had signed her final contract with the company.

(dpa)