Shanghai-based Spring Airlines no doubt thought it was being very forward-thinking when it started to recognise that women over 25 might have some value as air stewardesses after all.
In a 22 October announcement, the airline – China’s largest budget carrier – said it was on the lookout for “air aunties”, saying they are seeking women aged between 25 and 40 who are preferably married with children to take up cabin crew roles.
It marks a notable departure from the industry’s long-standing preference for unmarried women aged 18–25 who meet strict beauty standards. In China, the retirement age for women is 50.
A recruitment manager told China News Service that there was a realisation that air aunties bring valuable empathy and life experience, which makes them great for looking after children and elderly passengers.
Despite the positive sentiment, many on the internet were bewildered at the term ‘aunties’, calling it offensive.
View this post on Instagram
“Age discrimination… many at 45-50s look better than at 35s,” one Instagram user commented.
Others saw the funny side.
“I’m 45, so sky relic probably,” one Instagram user joked.
“If 25 qualifies to be “auntie” then some airlines be hiring ancestors,” another user joked.
“lol add this term to my title. Right behind galley queen and before sky hag,” a Facebook user quipped.
Others were quick to defend the phrase, noting that many Westerners may have misunderstood its cultural context.
“What I think a lot of people are missing is that in much of Asia the terms “auntie” and “uncle” are terms of endearment and respect,” a user said.
Spring Airlines said that it did not mean to offend.
“We wanted to distinguish them from unmarried applicants. Their duties, pay and career paths are the same as any other flight attendant,” a company representative is quoted as saying.
The term reportedly dates back to the 1990s, when China’s civil aviation sector began recruiting laid-off female textile workers.
Today, the airline employs 88 “air aunties” – 74 per cent of whom have moved into management roles.
