DALLAS — A union that represents flight attendants, including some at American Airlines, is demanding that that Fort Worth-based airline investigate a viral video that shows women dressed as flight attendants dancing around a customer and singing "Big Spender," an act that the union is calling sexist.
“This cannot be happening in today’s environment. We will not tolerate our profession being objectified in a sexist manner," Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) national president Lori Bassani said in a statement. “We want the facts about the Company’s involvement and we want answers.”
The video, which can be viewed here or below this paragraph, was originally posted to Twitter Saturday night and apparently shows a skit of women dressed up as flight attendants. They are on stage surrounding a man sitting in a chair. The man is portraying an "Executive Platinum" customer, and the video implies that flight attendants' sex appeal is an attractive perk to such "big spenders," the APFA said.
The skit was a part of a fundraising auction event for American Airlines customers, the APFA said.
American Airlines spokesperson Ross Feinstein responded to the event in a statement Sunday.
"We saw a customer’s social media post depicting a group of American flight attendants at a customer-organized and hosted event," Feinstein wrote. "What was portrayed in the skit was not sanctioned by the airline and is not representative of the 27,000 professional flight attendants who take great care of millions of customers each year. We spoke to the customer who posted the video and shared our concerns that the actions depicted in the skit he witnessed are demeaning to our professional flight attendants and crew members throughout the industry. We appreciate that he listened to our concerns and that he agreed to remove the video."
Bassani said there are still questions about the video she wants answered.
"APFA wants to know the details of Management’s involvement," she wrote. "Where was this skit performed? How was it allowed to be performed at an AA event? How did private members get a list of other Advantage members to hold this allegedly private event? Did the Company donate any resources for the event? Why was AA’s logo involved? What is AA’s relationship to the sponsor of the event? Will AA take responsibility or try to shift blame?"
"Big Spender" is a song that was written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields and originally appeared in the Broadway musical "Sweet Charity" in 1966. In the original performance, the song was performed by dance hostess girls set to a striptease as the hostesses taunt the customers. The song has since become a hit single for Shirley Bassey and has been featured in numerous films and TV shows.