This comes after an SIA stewardess became the first cabin crew member to be infected with Influenza A (H1N1), raising the issue of whether airlines are doing enough to protect their cabin staff.

The 22-year-old was on the same flight as three other confirmed cases in Singapore who flew in from New York on June 1. Of the 18 confirmed H1N1 cases here so far, all but one were infected after travelling overseas.

An SIA stewardess recounted her experience on a recent flight to the United States, when she and her colleagues wanted to wear masks to protect themselves.

The 24-year-old, who spoke to The Straits Times on condition of anonymity, said her supervisors discouraged them from doing so, as it would not look good for the company's image. Other attendants from the airline added that they had been given similar instructions, or had heard as much from their colleagues.

In response to queries, an SIA spokesman noted that the health authorities currently do not require cabin crew to wear masks or gloves if there are no suspected H1N1 cases on board.

When asked if SIA's flight attendants are allowed to don protective gear should they so choose, he stressed that they are allowed to do so. He added that the airline will be clarifying this point with its staff as there had been a 'misunderstanding'.

During the Sars crisis in 2003, the airline had initially sent out a directive that crew in uniform were not allowed to wear protective masks on board flights or on the ground, unless they were dealing directly with a passenger suspected of having Sars.

In response to concerns from passengers and crew, this was soon reversed to allow crew members to wear masks on flights to and from Sars-affected areas.

Measures in place for H1N1 seem to be similarly inconsistent among other carriers. Japan's All Nippon Airways encourages staff to wear masks throughout inbound flights departing from US airports. But Cathay Pacific gives its staff the choice to wear a mask.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.