ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the Sindh High Court’s decision regarding allowing airhostesses to work with Pakistan International Airlines beyond the age of 45, a lawyer said.

Nine airhostesses had challenged their retirement by PIA in the SHC, describing the move as being discriminatory, pointing out that their male colleagues could serve 15 years longer.

The Sindh High Court decided in favour of airhostesses and asked the national carrier to take them back on duty, but PIA appealed against the ruling in the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court suspended the decision of the SHC, saying it (retirement age of 45) was not discriminatory,” PIA’s lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim said.

“This is not discrimination or a discriminatory rule, as it is not against a particular woman or some women, but applied to a class or cadre of employees.”

PIA’s spokesman Imran Gardezi said passengers did not approve of “aging air hostesses.”

“It is also not culturally appropriate that an old lady serves passengers onboard,” Gardezi said.

He denied any discrimination, saying the hostesses were “retired under the rules and regulations of the airline.”

“In other airlines, airhostesses are hired only for contracts of two to three years,” he added.

A PIA airhostess, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she believed that 45 was a “perfectly alright” retirement age.—AFP