Donning my hard hat for this one - cabin crew appearance

The job is much more about safety than glamour these days. They have to be able to deal with emergency landings, terrorism threats, various emergencies, and to spend ridiculous working hours on their feet walking for miles when they reach airports and staying in, um, "basic" accommodation away from home. If they are allowed to wear flat shoes now then thank fucking goodness for small mercies.

A VPL?! God forbid anybody realise that women -shock horror- wear UNDERPANTS!!!

I don't like the bun on top of the head style that seems to be part of the Virgin look, and I hate their silly blouses with the weird ruffle across the neck, but I don't think they look any less put together than usual. They do seem to be more diverse in body type - I remember when Flight Attendants had to be a certain weight in relation to height.

I cannot think of any subject on Earth that concerns me less than what cabin crew wear.

Virgin is a budget airline. I doubt there will be much money to spend on staff uniforms.

The last time I flew I was taken ill half way through a long journey, very sick, shivery and dizzy, I fainted too, it was horrible and scary. The cabin crew who looked after me were exceptional, their help and kindness is what I recall, nothing about their appearance

They aren't just waitresses. They are also trained to evacuate in the case of an emergency, to give safety briefings etc etc. And cope with medical emergencies/passenger death. There was that recent case where a plane hit bad turbulence and the cabin crew were injured themselves but still had to deal with injured passengers, give first aid and also deal with the fact there was a dead body on board. Its an odd job really.

Wasn't there a huge row a few years ago about a female employee (not of an airline) being forced to wear high heels? Law might have changed in regard to this. Would be the least of my worries getting on a plane these days, I'd be more concerned about bad behaviour, shouty football fans or a rowdy hen party or some fool kicking off than what the cabin crew are wearing!

So long as they're clean and hygienic, why should it matter? They're there to help to look after travellers, not to be 'eye candy'. In particular, why should they be expected to wear high heels? For most people, this would be uncomfortable in the long term, and might make them slower in dealing with an emergency.

DM was an uber glamorous BA hostess. She encouraged me to apply but I gave up the moment I saw that the application form required a photo, height and weight details. (I missed the glamour gene). This was about 2002. Can’t remember which airline, not BA but flew out of Gatwick.

I have no problem with flat shoes or ladies choosing not to wear make up. That is choice and comfort. But I do with seeing chipped nail varnish (just remove it and redo/don’t wear it), excessive jewelry (not allowed in many professions, especially those horrid unhygienic concert wristbands), shirts so tight that boobs are on show (get one in your size!), hair not looking tidy (doesn’t have to be salon perfect but at least neat - same for any customer facing job really).

You won’t care about their VPL when they’re the people responsible for your safe evacuation of the aircraft in 30 seconds or performing CPR on your loved ones.

Yep agree. Flight to Barbados from Heathrow in March. One was over made-up, shiny and rude one was the size of a house. Sorry

Emirates crew always look immaculate. If you fly with cheap airlines then the quality of clothing and standards are lower?

I was rejected by Emirates twenty odd years ago because I had a spot on the day of my interview. They told me to go away, take antibiotics, and they’d see me again in three months. If my complexion was clear, the job was mine. Bonkers. I went and got a job with BA instead, whose appearance rules were more sensible.

Those were the days. Best years of my life actually. We had an absolute blast.

Totally agree, also the way they speak to passengers on the tannoy is often Unintelligible too, they shout, zoom the words out and use clumsy English

Hhmm...here we go, yet another 1 post wonder! OP lobs a hand grenade and then mysteriously disapears....

Thinking about it, I have seen flight crew on any airline wear heels during a flight for years.

That should say haven't

It doesn't matter as long as they are competent in the role and treat customers with respect. Couldn't care less how they look to be honest! Their comfort is important so if they want to wear flat shoes and cardigans leave them be!

That’s a fair point but OTOH in the event that the brown stuff does hit the fan and you have to evacuate the crew have to be readily and quickly identifiable as such to the passengers and emergency services, hence the need to wear something that looks like a uniform.

Aviation being as it is it’s even codified, e.g.

https://regulatorylibrary.caa.co.uk/965-2012/Content/AMC%20GM%201/GM1%20ORO%20CC%20210%20d%20Additional.htm

Probably true... and to the PP who said -us mere mortals trying to squeeze ourselves into last year's summer dress- everyone is different.
Personally I wouldn't know, because I have been avoiding flying since COVID.
😊

One of my sisters is cabin crew for Ryanair, and she's been called out on a couple of occasions by passengers for her uniform, one where she was told to iron her skirt because of the lap wrinkles in it, and on another time when the back of her shirt had become untucked.
She was pretty upset because she tries hard to look smart but there's nothing she can do about the fit of the uniform and she and her colleagues have to work really hard during their shifts.

and having to be within a particular height and weight range for aesthetic reasons isn’t going to affect passenger safety!

I think they still have to be within a certain weight/BMI from a health and safety point of view.

Thinking about it, I have seen flight crew on any airline wear heels oduring a flight for years. I think they only wear them in the airport. Again, this would be from a health and safety aspect.

So do I.

Well it’s not exactly exclusive, luxury travel anymore is it? Mass market transportation now. I’d guess the cabin crew on some privately hired jets would still fit the old stereotype if you can afford them ( I can’t!)

But I never understood why female cabin crew had to wear pencil skirts and heels anyway - surely it just inhibits quick and easy movement in an emergency 🤷‍♀️

At least the heavy makeup, a gale force surviving up-do and having to be within a particular height and weight range for aesthetic reasons isn’t going to affect passenger safety!