As you sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight, you might not realize that flight attendants have a pretty physically demanding job. They’re expected to be on their feet for most of the trip, helping passengers with their seats, bags, meals, and carryons. They get down on their hands and knees to access hard-to-reach drawers, they lift bags of ice and containers of food and drinks, and lug bulky items throughout the cabin. Additionally, they’ve even been forced to defend themselves from aggressive passengers.
So what crew members wear when working on board matters. Flight attendants want to look good on the job—but most importantly, they want to be comfortable. And even though airlines have come a long way since the revealing hot pants and go-go dresses flight attendants sported back in the 1970s, most flight attendants agree that today’s uniforms still aren’t where they need to be. Here’s why. (Note: All of the flight attendants in this story spoke to us under the condition of anonymity.)
