United Airlines has asked its flight attendants to take proper uniform wear and “personal grooming” more seriously.
In a memo to flight attendants obtained by Brian Sumers of Skift, John Slater, United’s Vice President for in-flight operations, told FAs:
Perhaps because of the distractions of our industry or the merger of our airlines, over time, we became too relaxed in compliance with established standards. We lost our focus on the value uniform standards have on our customers’ perception of our company.
The memo calls on FAs to take personal grooming “more seriously” and laments that wrinkled or stained clothing, worn-out shoes, and “skirt lengths that don’t conform to the standard” are hurting United’s image.
The flight attendant union is fully onboard, with a spokesperson telling Skift:
Flight attendants take pride in presenting a professional image. Uniform standards help to ensure crew members are easily identified and respected as they perform their role as aviation’s first responders. That’s why our flight attendant union works with United to reinforce uniform standards in a way that promotes our professional role in maintaining safety, health and security.
A United spokesperson told The Points Guy:
When our employees feel and look their best, it makes it easier for them to deliver the top-notch service our customers deserve. Part of putting our customers at the center of everything we do means making sure our employees are representing care and professionalism in their actions as well as their appearance.
Deja Vu
Almost seven years ago, I penned a piece entitled On the Matter of Flight Attendant Professionalism, in which I spoke about a startling juxtaposition between Lufthansa FAs and United FAs at a train station in Frankfurt.
I described the pair of United FA’s in this way:
The guy was unshaven and his his shirt was hanging out from the back of his pants. His tie was loose, his trousers were much too short, and his shoes were scuffed. His female colleague was not much better. She was just wearing a short-sleeved shirt that she had not bothered to iron, and you could see the hem marks on her pants from 20 feet away. Her shoes were also heavily scuffed in the front and her hair was messed up.
The post was shared in a flight attendant Facebook group and I received comments like this:
You are a complete JERK!!! It’s passengers like you, that look “down” on us for whatever reason that make us care less about our jobs! I am a flight attendant because I LOVE to travel, not because I enjoy dealing with assholes like you! I could CARE less what you think!!
Uniform and grooming standards are not about gender, weight, or age. “Unprofessional” is not a polite way of saying ugly. Dressing nicely and grooming nicely has nothing to do with physical features. Rather, it has everything to do with professionalism and there is simply no excuse for not abiding by uniform regulations.
> Read More: On the Matter of Flight Attendant Professionalism
CONCLUSION
Looking back seven years later, I would have written my post a bit differently, but the sentiment is still unchanged: FAs are the front-line image of the company and dressing nice is essential. And apparently this is still an issue.
My #1 pet peeve is male FAs who loosen their ties and unbutton their top shirt button. That’s my subjective opinion, of course, but 1.) it looks incredibly sloppy and 2.) it counters United’s uniform regulations.
I write this as a consumer. I don’t work for United (or even Star Alliance anymore) or hold United stock. But I want United to succeed and I am very much of the opinion that taking time to ensure a uniform is pressed and shoes are shined says everything about the employee and says much about the health of the company itself.
image: United
And still you keep on writing about UA and therefore giving them free PR!? Why do you care that much if they are terrible? Let them be terrible. The pax will know better, if they want to spend their money which such a dreadful airline and employees!
FA appearance is not on my list of issues United needs to address. What a waste of time and resources.
I think the article is completely on point. And it’s not just United that has seen standards fall. I see a too many front facing employees at all work groups that don’t look as sharp or professional as they should. Some of it is our culture which has become far more lax In such things and resistant to the needed correction. But airline management has also played a role. They have not treated their front line employees in many cases with respect and professionalism has suffered in return. Plus they have not enforced the standards they have in many cases ignoring the issue.
Looking sharp matters and it carries over into job performance as well. People who take pride in their appearance tend to take pride in doing their work well. Kudos to United for tackling this issue.
What looks really sloppy to me is when female UA flight attendants mix and match the 2 or 3 different uniforms they have. None of the pieces nor colours go together. That needs IMMEDIATE correction.
Thank you…..someone who finally gets it. This crap started a long time ago when UAL hired anything that breathed, then we were inundated with all the “rights”, “tolerance”, “diversity” etc. (meaning anything/any “style” goes, no comments, no questions asked). Throw in all the political correctness (again, let anyone do what they please, do not call out any errors or anomalies) and this is what you have. When did airlines stop having a “monitor” to check flight attendants before all flights (hair, nails, weight, appearance, etc)?. Sorry, but they need to go back to that instead of me looking at 250 lb women (and men) squeezed into their uniforms while they fling their unkempt hair around like they’re ready to party at a disco.
I agree. But it’s a trend that’s infected most jobs and social occasions as well. When you are at work you are the face of your company. If that “face” is wrinkled, disheveled, scuffed, unshaved, uncombed or worn, it reflects on you and your employer. Why is this such a problem to communicate? Society in general is so much more casual now it’s bleeding into every area. I’m not 80 years old and railing about “those dammed hippies,” but what happened to people taking pride in their appearance, the way they show themselves to the world? No one irons anymore or even knows how to properly do laundry! Why spend hundreds of dollars going out to eat or to see a play and then dressing like you’re washing your car? Looking your best changes your attitude as well as the attitudes of those you interact with. Maybe these complaining FA’s would be treated with respect and professionalism if they looked professional!
I am a retired female flight attendant of United Airlines.
I was hired in the 60’s and there were very strict
Requirements regarding our appearance.
Hair could not touch the collar , makeup was required and nails polished. We had a week of training on appearance. We wore white gloves and
had Inflight supervisors that checked our appearance at the airport and in flight.
I agree that frontline employees represent the airline and many of today’s flight attendants look sloppy and unkempt.