PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malindo Air has refuted a report that applicants for female cabin crew were asked to strip during the airline's walk-in interview held in March.

In a statement issued to deny the allegations, it said that grooming checks were carried out during the interview to find out whether an applicant has any visible marks, and the process was conducted privately by female supervisors.

The airline said each applicant was briefed and asked for her consent to the process prior to the checks.

"Grooming checks for visible marks are conducted privately by female supervisors in a professional manner and are part of the interview process," it said.

"Herein candidates are briefed ahead, and consent from each candidate is required prior to proceeding to ensure that no prominent marks will be visible while wearing the uniform," it added.

Malindo Air emphasised that it has always adhered to its recruitment process regulations since its inception in 2013, reiterating that the checks are "the standard procedure", which has been practised for the past four years.

The airline employs over 700 female cabin crew.

The statement was in response to an earlier report by an English daily that cabin crew interviewees were asked to strip down to their bras at the airline's walk-in interview in March.