China’s Spring Airlines has been inundated with over a thousand applications from aspiring flight attendants after starting a recruitment campaign targeted at married women with kids.

　　中国春秋航空有限公司(Spring Airlines)被上千份求职申请弄得应接不暇，申请人都是希望成为该公司空乘人员的求职者。此前，春秋航空启动了针对已婚已育女性的招聘活动。

　　The move by the budget carrier to hire what it affectionately calls “flight aunties” is a novelty in Asia, where Asian airlines pride themselves on their young, attractive cabin crew. China’s major airlines are known to hold pageant-like events to choose the most attractive female candidates.

　　这家廉价航空公司亲切地将其希望招募的空乘人员称为“空嫂”，这一招聘行动在亚洲是个新鲜事。亚洲的航空公司都以年轻美貌的机组人员为傲。众所周知，中国主要航空公司会举办类似选美的活动，挑选最有魅力的女性候选人。

　　Yet it has been widely embraced on Sina Weibo, attracting hundreds of comments in support of the airline’s efforts targeting older, more mature flight attendants.

　　然而春秋航空的举动在新浪微博上受到广泛欢迎，吸引了数百条评论。网友们纷纷支持该公司招募年龄更大、更成熟空乘人员的举措。

　　“I’m eligible and have submitted an application. It’s great that Spring Air is providing us this chance,” writes one Weibo user. The job offers a starting salary between 3,000 Chinese yuan (US$486) and 5,000 yuan per month, according to Spring Air.

　　一名微博用户说：我符合条件，也提交了申请。春秋航空为我们提供这个机会太好了。据春秋航空透露，这个职位的起薪在人民币3,000元(486美元)至5,000元之间。

　　“I’ve yet to lose weight after giving birth to a new baby. Will Spring Air recruit [flight aunties] next year?” says another.

　　另一位用户说：我生完孩子还在减肥。春秋航空明年还招(空嫂)吗

　　Meanwhile, others ask why the Shanghai-based airline won’t go a step further. “Why not also hire ‘flight uncles’ too? Is this discrimination against married men?” notes another microblogger.

　　与此同时，还有一些用户问及这家位于上海的航空公司为何不更进一步。另外一位微博用户写道：干嘛不同时招“空叔”呢?这是否是歧视已婚男性?

　　For its part, Spring Air says the airline already employs a larger proportion of males than other carriers among its 600-strong flight attendant workforce, so it has no plans to hire new male attendants for now.

　　春秋航空说，该公司有600多名空乘，男性空乘的比例已经高于其他航空公司，所以目前没有计划招聘新的男性空乘。

　　“These ‘flight brothers’ will eventually become ‘flight uncles,’” said a Spring Air spokesman.

　　春秋航空发言人说，这些“空哥”最终将成为“空叔”。

　　China’s biggest budget carrier, which is on a drive to hire more flight attendants to meet the nation’s growing demand for air travel, said it will interview eligible applicants on Sept. 7. The carrier is seeking college-educated females aged between 25 and 45, with preference to those who are married with children.

　　这家中国最大的廉价航空公司说，将于9月7日对合格的应聘者进行面试。目前该公司正在招聘更多的空乘，以便满足中国不断增长的航空出行需求。该航空公司拟招聘年龄在25岁至45岁、受过大学教育的女性，已婚已育的女性优先。

　　“As a budget carrier, we mainly target the mass market with many of our passengers first-time flyers. We hope our ‘flight aunties’ can provide more caring services to them,” said Xiao Fei, a Spring Air recruitment official.

　　春秋航空招聘人员肖飞(音)说：作为一家廉价航空公司，我们主要针对的是大众市场，我们的很多乘客都是第一次坐飞机。我们希望我们的“空嫂”能够向他们提供更多的关爱服务。

　　Among the questions to be asked at the interviews will be whether the mature applicants are more capable of handling crying babies on flights, said Mr. Xiao.

　　肖飞说，面试中会问到的问题包括，成熟的应聘者是否有更强的能力照顾飞机上哭闹的宝宝。

　　“We hope to help many mommies realize their flying dream,” he added.

　　他还说：我们希望帮助很多妈妈实现她们的飞行梦想。(WSJ)