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Why these airline stickers are causing outrage

An airline has come under fire for being ‘sexist’ over how stickers were being handed out to children on-board on a flight.

A British woman saw cabin crew handing out the stickers to children onboard a TUI airlines flight from Bristol, UK to Paphos, Cyprus earlier this month.

She was travelling with her great-niece and great-nephew.

The two types of stickers said ‘future TUI cabin crew’ and ‘future TUI captain’.

Dame Gillian Morgan was “quite upset” to see the captain stickers were only given to boys.

“The stickers were gender neutral but it’s the way that they were handed out that makes it complicated,” Dame Morgan told the Metro UK.

A TUI airlines passenger claims that girls were given 'cabin crew' stickers while boys were given 'captain' stickers.
These airline stickers are sparking claims of sexism by TUI airlines as a passenger claims that girls were given ‘cabin crew’ stickers while boys were given ‘captain’ stickers. Source: TUI

“I just think it’s a shame. TUI were trying, I think, to do the right thing but fundamentally missed the point.”

The incident sparked social media outrage from parents who were upset by the “obvious sexism“.

“Epic fail by TUI. Girls can fly planes too,” one Twitter user posted.

“Back last month I commented to TUI that I was disappointed that girls and boys were handed different stickers on a flight,” another user said.

“It was obvious sexism. All they needed was to ask the children which sticker they wanted,” a third user posted.

A British woman saw cabin crew handing out the 'sexist' stickers to children onboard a TUI airlines flight from Bristol, UK to Paphos, Cyprus on August 15
A British woman saw cabin crew handing out the ‘sexist’ stickers to children onboard a TUI airlines flight from Bristol, UK to Paphos, Cyprus. Source: Getty

However, other users stepped in to defend the airline.

“We went on holiday this year with TUI and my son was given the choice which sticker he would like. As were all the children on our flight,” one user posted.

TUI apologised for causing offence to customers in response to the social media backlash.

“‘We think it has just been a simple mix-up since our future pilot and cabin crew stickers are designed for use for any child regardless of gender,” a spokesman for TUI said.