Banda Aceh, Indonesia - Authorities in
Indonesia’s Aceh province have ordered female Muslim flight
attendants to wear headscarves when flying into the
ultra-conservative Islamic region, officials confirmed on
Wednesday.
Aceh is the only province in the predominantly Muslim
country to implement Islamic law. Muslims in the rest of
Indonesia generally practice a moderate form of Islam and women
are free to choose whether or not to cover their heads.
The local government, which has special autonomy granted as
part of a 2001 peace deal with the central government in
Jakarta, circulated a letter addressed to Indonesian flag
carrier Garuda Indonesia and several budget carriers
including Malaysia’s AirAsia and Firefly.
“All female stewardesses must wear a 'jilbab' (headscarf)
Muslim fashion in accordance with the rules of sharia,” the
letter stated.
The international airport in provincial capital Banda Aceh
services dozens of domestic flights every week, and
international routes to Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
Mawardi Ali, chief of Aceh Besar regency where the airport
is located, said that non-Muslim stewardesses were not required
to wear headscarves, but that Muslim staff would be asked to
wear it while en route to and in Aceh.
A spokesperson for Garuda Indonesia, Ikhsan Rosan said the
airline and its budget arm Citilink "support the suggestions"
and would comply.