World's hottest airline crews ranked

But the hot list drawn up by British travelers is "offensive" according to some in the industry

By Tiffany Lam 24 February, 2011

Virgin Atlantic cabin crew have been named the world's most attractive cabin crew in a recent survey. A U.S.-based flight attendant union is furious.

Some people who read the hottest air stewardess survey conducted by the Business Travel and Meetings Show recently would probably laugh it off as good fun.
The survey, conducted among 1,000 British air travelers, concluded that the cabin crew at Virgin Atlantic were the most attractive, winning 53 percent of the votes, followed by Singapore Airlines (18 percent) and Etihad Airways (12 percent).
But the Texas-based Association of Professional Flight Attendants didn't find it funny at all. Its spokesman Jeff Pharr lashed out at the survey, telling Los Angeles Times that he found the study “very offensive."
Pharr reportedly told journalists that flight attendants have much more important responsibilities on a flight than serving drinks smilingly, especially since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
"We are the first responders on the plane," he reportedly told Los Angeles Times. "I don't see that looks have anything to do with that."
Airline unions have pressured carriers to disregard gender, age and appearance in hiring their cabin crew since the 1960s and 1970s, but their efforts didn’t seem to deter airline ad executives from rolling out risqué ads such as this, this and this .
The APFA is the United States' largest independent flight attendant union representing close to 18,000 American Airlines cabin crew members.
American Airlines did not figure on the hot list.
The Business Travel and Meetings Show, which convened in London earlier this month, claims to be Europe's leading events for the business travel and meetings industry.

The world’s best-looking cabin crew according to Brits:

1. Virgin: 53 percent
2. Singapore: 18 percent
3. Etihad: 12 percent
4. Emirates:11 percent
5. Aer Lingus: 6 percent

Singapore Airlines cabin crew got named the second most attractive cabin crew in the world.

Etihad Airways hostesses got given a third.

Former CNNGo staff writer Tiffany Lam produced and scripted current affairs documentaries and was a reporter for a local English newspaper before making the brave, brave decision to write about things she’s actually interested in.

Read more about Tiffany Lam
Ref:cnngo