Female flight attendants from Korean Air have requested to be allowed to wear sneakers during onboard duties, according to a report by The Korean Times.
The flight attendants issued the request following Korean Air’s rebranding and takeover of Asiana Airlines, where a change in its uniform design and policy is highly possible.
The report said that during the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union press conference held on March 7, 2025, the day before International Women’s Day, unionized cabin crew members from Korean Air and Asiana announced the launch of an online campaign calling for more practical uniforms.
“Flight attendants in the cabin take over 15,000 steps a day and work on their feet for more than 14 hours,” the unionized Korean Air flight attendants said in a statement. “However, our uniforms and shoes were designed without any consideration for our working environment.”
According to The Korean Times, the flight attendants responded to Korean Air’s claim that the current uniforms give the company “dignity”, saying: “an unhealthy and unsafe uniform cannot dignify the company.”
A Korean Air official told The Korean Times that the company is aware of the flight attendant’s request, but it will take time before any changes are made to the uniform, as the airline has yet to complete its merger with Asiana Airlines.
European and North American carriers have taken a more relaxed and practical stance on flight attendants’ uniforms. In July 2024, Scandinavian carrier SAS announced that it will allow its flight attendants and front-facing employees to have visible tattoos and wear sneakers while working.
Other carriers such as Virgin Atlantic and Alaska Air have also taken the same approach.
Meanwhile, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers continue to uphold high standards when it comes to flight attendants’ image and uniforms. In November 2022, Air India issued stricter grooming guidelines to its flight attendants, including the prohibition of graying hair and bald spots, and requiring crew to regularly dye their hair a natural color.
