02.11.2025 22:44
The Chinese airline Spring Airlines announced that it will hire married women with children for its new cabin crew, which it has named "Aunties of the Sky." The company claims that women who meet the required qualifications will communicate better with passengers due to their maturity and empathy skills, igniting a significant debate in the country.
China-based Spring Airlines has sparked controversy in the country with its new job advertisement.
'SKY AUNTS' WANTED
According to Spring Airlines' announcement, candidates must have at least a bachelor's degree, be between 1.62 and 1.74 meters tall, and preferably have customer service experience. However, the detail that attracted the most public attention was the addition of the criterion "must be married and have children" among the application requirements. The company also announced that it would name the new cabin crew formed by women in this position "Sky Aunts."
"THEY CAN CONNECT WITH PASSENGERS MORE EASILY"
The Human Resources Department of Spring Airlines explained the rationale behind this decision with an emphasis on "maturity and empathy." The statement included the following remarks: "These women have raised children and cared for the elderly. Thanks to their experiences, they can show more understanding to passengers and connect with them more easily."
IT BECAME A SUBJECT OF DEBATE
Although it was stated that the practice was planned to increase female employment and reduce age-based job restrictions, the advertisement quickly garnered significant backlash on social media. Posts about the topic on China's social media platform Weibo received over 70 million views. Many users found the term "sky aunt" to be derogatory towards women.
A married cabin crew member approached the discussions from a different perspective, stating, "We have an advantage over new graduates. We have raised children and cared for the elderly. We usually take on the 'older sister' role in the team."
NOT A NEW CONCEPT
On the other hand, the term "Sky Aunt" is not being used for the first time in China. The concept emerged in the 1990s when textile workers who were laid off in the civil aviation sector were hired as cabin crew. Spring Airlines' announcement has brought this old definition back into the spotlight.