The German flag carrier Lufthansa has ended a long-standing rule that newly employed flight attendants submit to a mandatory pre-employment HIV test following a long-running equality campaign. The airline's prospective flight attendants who were later found to be HIV positive had their employment offers rescinded, according to the union that advocates for the airline's flight attendants. It is said that the airline informed those who would not have realised they were HIV-positive during brief phone calls made by recruiters, who subsequently informed them that their employment would be terminated.
Due to outdated worries that people with HIV shouldn't receive the yellow fever vaccine, Lufthansa required an HIV test before hiring. Many international airlines require yellow fever vaccination for pilots and flight attendants as a condition of employment, and other countries advise vaccination.
The Yellow Fever vaccine is a "replicating live attenuated vaccine" and was previously cautioned against by health officials. However, science has advanced and the majority of HIV-positive individuals can now receive vaccinations. However, some HIV-positive people still shy away from applying due to stigmatization associated with shame and prejudice.
Lufthansa has removed the requirement to undergo an obligatory HIV test for recruitment after years of internal pressure from its own personnel. However, it will continue to provide a pre-employment HIV test as part of its "tropical fitness" physical. This is a milestone in Lufthansa's history, as it recognizes the reality of life for an HIV-positive person and will no longer be subjected to harassment and discrimination in the future.