Air France has decided to allow female cabin crew to decline to work in the company's newly resumed flights to Iran, for which they must wear a head scarf.
The French national carrier said on April 4 that it will appoint a "special unit" to replace those who do not want to fly to Iran.
Gilles Gateau, an Air France human resources official, told French media that "any woman assigned to the Paris-Tehran flight who for reasons of personal choice would refuse to wear the head scarf upon leaving the plane will be reassigned to another destination."
The airline is expected to start three flights weekly between Paris and Tehran beginning on April 17.
An internal company memo regarding Tehran flights says female flight attendants would be required to wear the uniform's long-sleeved jacket and trousers, rather than a knee-length dress on board.
They must also wear a head scarf on their arrival in Tehran.
The head-scarf rule is already in place in Air France's flights to Saudi Arabia and some other destinations.
