''Women shouldn't be treated like objects, and there cannot be different retirement ages for men and women,'' Women and Family Development Minister Sharizat Abdul Jalil was quoted as saying by the Sunday Star newspaper.
Sharizat told Malaysia Airlines its policies violated a provision in the country's constitution prohibiting gender bias, the New Sunday Times reported.
According to Malaysia Airlines regulations, flight attendants can only receive maternity leave after working for the company for five years, and must resign if they have more than two children. Female cabin crew are also required to retire at age 45, compared to 55 for male employees.
Malaysia Airlines couldn't be immediately reached Sunday for comment.
Sharizat noted that when women sign up as flight attendants they must agree to the airline's policies. But she said, ''It is archaic to stop them from having the number of babies they want, as well as to tell them they cannot function after 45.''
The minister was commenting on the case of a former flight attendant, Beatrice Fernandez, who on Friday lost an appeal against Malaysia Airlines in the country's highest court.
Fernandez was sacked by the airline in 1991 after serving 11 years when she refused to resign after becoming pregnant with her first child. Under the policy in effect at the time, flight attendants were required to quit whenever they became pregnant.
