"Air France’s gay stewards join protest of Iran flights", 12 Apr 2016

France’s national carrier, part of the Franco-Dutch group Air France-KLM, is preparing to restart flights to Tehran from April 17 after an eight-year hiatus due to sanctions.

But resumption of the flights has been mired in controversy since the company released a memo last month requiring that female staff “wear a head scarf and a wide and long garment to conceal their forms” upon arrival in Iran – in line with local rules regulating how women dress in public…

Under a compromise deal agreed with unions, Air France said it would offer female staff the choice of opting out of the flights.

Now a group of gay stewards says the option should be extended to all staff regardless of gender, on the grounds that Iranian law discriminates against homosexuals…

“Homosexuality is still illegal in the country,” the petition reads…

So far, Air France has given no indication it plans to meet the petitioners’ demands.

In a written reply to France 24’s request for comment, the company noted that it already flies to a range of countries that “have restrictive legislation regarding homosexuality”, and that none of these routes have presented a problem in the past…