A LOT to be cross about

17th February 2012

Poland’s LOT airlines has stoked controversy this week by announcing that staff will be prohibited from wearing religious crosses in a visible place during flights.

The new regulation, which comes into force on March 1, has been defended by the company, which claims that every year it deals with thousands of passengers from different faiths and cultures and it wishes to avoid “causing offense” or provoking “aggressive reactions”.

In an interview with Nowy Dziennik, spokesman for the airline Leszek Chorzewski denied that the move was discriminatory.

“This rule has been introduced to prevent discomfort to passengers. The regulation applies across the board to all religious symbols, such as the Star of David,” he told the paper.

“It’s simple. They must not be seen - at the very most they can be hidden underneath a shirt.”

However, according to daily Super Express, Law and Justice (PiS) MPs Anna Sobecka and Jolanta Szczypinska have been left outraged by the decision and have made their feelings known in an official letter addressed to LOT’s board of directors.

In it they state the new regulations “discriminate against Catholics and threaten basic human rights outlined in the Polish constitution”.