If you think you’re uncomfortable when you’re buckled into a seat at 35,000ft, spare a thought for the flight attendants in full uniform.
While male cabin crew members are usually dressed in a suit, the outfits worn by their female colleagues can be tight, revealing, scratchy creations that rival the tackiness of a bridesmaid’s dress.
Not all uniforms are created equal for women as standards vary from airline to airline, and female staff even train in their outfits so that in case of emergency they can carry out their duties while wearing their skirts and heels.
Japan's Skymark Airlines caused an uproar when it unveiled a temporary uniform featuring skimpy miniskirts
But uniforms are not without their problem. From skirts that are too short to Vivienne Westwood-designed uniforms that staff allege make their necks bleed, cabin crew have encountered all sorts of problems.
Tokyo-based airline Skymark was criticised for introducing minidress uniforms that staff said left them exposed to sexual harassment.
Both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have teamed up with top designers Vivienne Westwood and Julien MacDonald respectively, but even they haven't been exempt from complaints by staff.
While Virgin workers complained of tight collars, BA cabin crew raised objections when they were told they would no longer be able to opt for trousers instead of skirts.
Carolyn Paddock, a former commercial flight attendant who continues to fly for a private client, said cabin crew around the world are generally satisfied with today’s standard uniform.
The travel insider said: ‘Fabric quality for uniforms has improved dramatically over the years. They are lighter in weight and have stretch.
‘It gives the uniform a crisp tailored look that has "give" which is very important to the flight attendants with all the bending and reaching that they do.’
Singapore Airlines' cabin crew members have worn a sarong kebaya that was first introduced in 1968
Singapore Airlines
Wearing a colourful sarong kebaya that is nothing like the traditional cabin crew uniform, the Singapore Girl has been a global marketing tool for Singapore’s flag carrier for decades.
Designed by French couturier Pierre Balmain, the outfit was first introduced in 1968 for Malaysia-Singapore Airlines.
After the carrier divided, Singapore Airlines kept the uniform and launched the Singapore Girl identity in 1972, although the marketing campaign has been called sexist by critics.
The design of the individually tailored outfit, in batik material, has largely remained the same since it was introduced.
Ms Paddock said she loves the uniform and the flight attendants look stunning, but a sarong could potentially be a detriment to an evacuation or an emergency.
She said: 'Is it elegant? Yes. Do the flight attendants gracefully "swan" through airports and the cabin like they are walking on air? Yes.
'Would I want to be wearing that in an emergency? Absolutely not. It's just that much harder to manoeuvre your body in a long-fitted sarong than it is wearing trousers and a blazer.
'You need to be prepared - as anything can happen in an emergency and you need to be as mobile and free as possible.'
Flight attendants with a handful of airlines in Asia, including Garuda Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways and Malindo, wear a sarong kebaya.
Skymark Airlines flight attendants expressed concerns about passengers taking photos up their skirts
Skymark Airlines
The Tokyo-based airline caused an uproar when it unveiled the skimpy miniskirts worn by its female flight attendants during a six-month trial in 2014.
The royal blue uniform was criticised by the Japan Federation of Cabin Attendants, which said the daring outfit is unsuitable for work performed by cabin crew.
Female flight attendants said the uniforms exposed them to sexual harassment and they expressed concerns about leering stairs or passengers taking photos up their skirts.
Skymark denied accusations that it was treating the women as objects to try to boost ticket sales and it said the uniform would not be a detriment to safety on board the plane.
Ms Paddock said today’s standard uniform - with skirt hemlines that are closer to the knees - usually does not pose any restrictions while responding to an emergency.
But the heels could be a problem if a plane has to be evacuated in a hurry.
She said: ‘The thing that could pose the biggest havoc are the high heeled shoes flight attendants wear. I always made sure I changed into my flats after landing for exactly this reason.
‘Not only are heels unstable in an emergency, but if the emergency slide is deployed for an evacuation a heel could easily puncture the slide or raft.’
Lufthansa's tradition of wearing a Bavarian folk costume was introduced in 1957 and revived in 2005
Lufthansa
Flight attendants with Lufthansa have worn a Bavarian dirndl to coincide with Oktoberfest in Munich since the tradition was revived in 2005.
Last year the uniform was worn by cabin crew on the German carrier's long-haul routes from Munich to Beijing, Sao Paulo and Mexico City – journeys as long as 13 hours.
The traditional folk costume featuring Lufthansa’s colours – yellow, blue and white – is made by Munich’s Angermaier Trachten fashion house.
Women wear a bodice that is yellow and imprinted with blue flowers, a blue and white-striped skirt, and a blue silk apron.
Male flight attendants dress in traditional leather trousers, combined with a matching Alpine jacket and waistcoat, and a tie.
Virgin Atlantic's female cabin crew members have complained that their uniforms are too tight
Virgin Atlantic
These striking red outfits designed by Vivienne Westwood launched last September and within weeks staff complained that they were too tight and the shoes gave them blisters.
The Unite union said staff also complained that the skirts are too high-waisted and don’t fit properly, and the collars are so tight they make them bleed.
But Virgin said the uniforms were subject to six months of trials involving more than 150 staff volunteers, and adjustments were made before designs and fabrics were finalised.
The airline’s uniforms are made using recycled polyester clothing and can be tailored to fit all shapes and sizes. Female flight attendants wear a red pencil skirt with a double pleat at the rear, an asymmetric frill-front blouse, a red jack with a nipped-in waist and high collar, and a red shoe with a choice of low, medium or high heels.
Their male counterparts wear a Savile Row-inspired three-piece suit in a deep burgundy Oxford weave wool.
Ms Paddock said the most common complaints from flight attendants relate to shirts that are uncomfortable or scratch their necks, and after a while cabin crew get bored of wearing the same outfit for years.
Most airlines offer a variety of options to female flight attendants, including a skirt, trousers or a dress
British Airways
The Heathrow-based airline faced criticism when it was revealed that all new female flight attendants joining its mixed fleet must wear skirts as part of a uniform designed by Julien MacDonald.
All new recruits had the option of wearing trousers until the rule changed in 2010, now all female staff must wear the skirt.
Some crew members were unhappy with the directive, so they asked their union, the British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association, which is part of Unite, to express their concerns with the airline.
British Airways defended the decision at the time, saying all female recruits are aware of the rule when they sign on.
Former British Airways flight attendant Kim Osborn, who now runs GoCabinCrew.com and offers private training, said she preferred wearing a skirt during her 28-year career.
She said: ‘If I was travelling to somewhere very cold then I would always wear the trousers, but I preferred working in a skirt. I felt smarter working in a skirt.’
She said cabin crew sometimes sleep in their uniforms on long-haul flights, and comfortable shoes are the most important item.
Ms Paddock said most carriers offer a variety of options to female flight attendants, including a skirt, trousers or a dress.
The union representing Cathay Pacific flight attendants complained that their uniforms are too sexy
Cathay Pacific
While some flight attendants complain that their uniforms are itchy or ugly, others worry theirs are too revealing.
Last May the union representing Cathay Pacific cabin crew told bosses with the Hong Kong-based airline to change their uniforms amid complaints they are too sexy.
Michelle Choi from the Flight Attendants Union said the skirts hug female employees’ figures too tightly and the blouses are too short, exposing their midriffs when they bend down.
She also claimed the uniforms, created by Hong Kong fashion designer Eddie Lau, have led to an increase in sexual harassment on flights.
Introduced in 2011, the uniform for women features white blouses, rose red skirts with two slits at the rear, rose red jackets, sheer black stockings and black shoes with both high and low heels.
Male cabin crew members wear a dark olive ottoman fabric jacket and vest, white long-sleeved shirt, black trousers and a red tie.
Etihad Airways' latest uniform - unveiled last month - doesn't include a trousers option for women
Etihad Airways
British Airways isn’t the only carrier to have a ‘no trousers’ rule for women.
Etihad Airways recently unveiled its new uniforms, designed by Ettore Bilotta, to coincide with the launch of its Airbus A380 aircraft.
While the outfit was created with a trouser option for most staff, female flight attendants will only be allowed to wear skirts, according to Runwaygirlnetwork.com.
An Etihad spokesperson told the website that there was ‘very low demand’ for a trouser option with the previous uniform.
But that conflicts with Mr Bilotta’s take. He told Abu Dhabi's The National: ‘Females in the in-flight crew were not allowed to wear trousers, because the element of femininity had to be emphasised. It was only allowed for ground staff.’
Qantas cabin crew complained that their outfits are not practical for the job's physical requirements
Qantas
The flag carrier of Australia hired supermodel Miranda Kerr to unveil its latest uniforms, but the star-studded event was followed by complaints that the outfits were ‘too sexy’.
Cabin crew complained to the Flight Attendants Association of Australia National Division, and one anonymous staff member told Australia’s Daily Telegraph that the uniforms are too tight and not practical for the physical job they have to do.
But Qantas said cabin crew members were on a panel which gave input into Martin Grant’s design and that the uniform had been trialled by 75 employees.
Ms Paddock said uniforms cannot be too tight because of the way the body is affected by cabin pressure.
She said: ‘Comfort is paramount with long flights and what crew call "jet belly". You know when you get off a plane feeling puffy and two sizes bigger? That's "jet belly".
‘Although all airline cabins are pressurised when flying at 9,800 feet or more, the pressure inside the cabin is slightly lower than what you normally experience on the ground. As a result the available oxygen is reduced and the gases inside your body expand.’
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