There are a lot of stories about the discrimination endured by flight attendants in Nigeria. A lot of passengers in airlines have complained that their stewardesses refuse to allow them to wear shoes on the plane, and that they are made to wear very uncomfortable outfits that do not fit well. The Nigerian aviation industry however refutes this, claiming that the attendants are mostly women who have chosen to serve passengers in these uniforms. However, there have been instances where some male passengers have been denied boarding and have been treated badly by the cabin crew. This has led to calls for action against such treatment of passengers by the aviation industry.

The US Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating whether the Nigeria's cabin crew members are guilty of discriminatory behavior when dealing with passengers in the Airlines' cockpits. The agents also plan to check if there is any bias at any point during the processing of travel requests by passengers. The agency will keep a daily record of all the findings gathered into one file and will present its findings to the Department of Transportation in the coming weeks. The FBO is aware that passengers have consistently raised concerns regarding the treatment meted out to them by flight attendants in Nigeria.

The Assistant Secretary for Airlift affairs, John Parker, said that the US Federal Aviation Administration plans to launch a formal investigation into the matter as soon as the agency receives the report from its Nigerian counterparts. He added that the purpose of the probe is to determine the cause of the alleged discriminatory actions against African-American flight attendants by Nigerian cabin crew. It is believed that the attendants might have been made to wear shoes that did not meet the airline's specifications, as stipulated by the Air Navigation Authority of Nigeria.

Parker also confirmed reports by passengers who have alleged that the attendants used to force passengers to wear shoes with low heels. Such conduct was condemned by passengers as well as experts in aviation. However, Parker refused to confirm if the airline will be taking legal action against those passengers who have lodged complaints against the in-flight attendants. He added that the incident is being probed by the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. A source in Nigeria said that the United Nations is also involved in the probe.

An aviation lawyer from San Diego, California, denied that the airline personnel engaged in such acts, adding that the act was "unusual and uncalled for." He also denied that the airline personnel's actions constituted racial discrimination. But he admitted that the airline should have offered a black flight attendant job to an employee who could not afford it because of financial reasons. He also said that the airline did not make clear to the cabin crew members that the requirement was there. The lawyer added that the airlines should have offered the post to an employee who could be of a different race.

An American passenger said that the whole ordeal was upsetting and that the attendants treated all the passengers with disrespect. He added that they did not wear shoes, used sponges on the seats and did not offer toiletries. He said that the passengers had to ask for the services of the steward before they were served. An airline representative said that the passengers should have been aware of the rules before they boarded the plane.

This article sounds misleading and confusing at the same time.

What is the link between flight attendants and removal of your shoes?

To my knowledge the only section where one is compelled to remove shoes is at the Aviaton Security check in, pre-boarding. No correlation whatsoever with the responsibilities of a flight attendant.