Do you ever wonder why airlines are so big on uniforms?
Aside from establishing the airline’s brand, the reasons why flight attendants & pilots wear a uniform goes beyond style!
Major airlines go out of their way to design their uniform range, with some even making headlines when launching a new range.
Why?
Authority
Passengers need to know who the flight attendants are. During mid-flight, who do you turn to for help? Certainly not to another traveller wearing regular clothes. You identify the attendants and know they will have the ability to assist you. So, wearing a uniform is part of the attendant’s service to you. Their role and duty is to help and give you a positive experience during your travels with the airline!
How can you tell that a pilot is experienced and knowledgeable enough to fly a plane? Logically, you can’t. You cannot tell how many years of experience a pilot has, or even prove that he is qualified to operate an aircraft. And yet, the uniform provides enough credibility and authority that you wouldn’t even question it. Research shows that humans look to follow figures of authority and that is why a uniform helps. It’s no accident that a pilot’s outfit is typically designed to be like a navy officer.
In cases of emergency
“In the unlikely event of an emergency”, passengers respond to a uniform. Staff are trained to act and bring others to safety. If this happens, there is no time to think, so a passenger needs to know who they can turn to immediately for help. Having that uniform already establishes that connection and makes them clearly identifiable.
Even in minor emergencies, such as situations involving unruly or sick passengers, flight attendants use their authority to ensure everyone complies with the rules and keep them calm. This gives passengers the comfort of knowing that they are in the good hands of those with the expertise to handle difficult situations.
Brand awareness
You know the airline just by looking at the uniform. Airline companies invest in designs that are tailored specifically to the airline’s values and wearing the uniform is a physical embodiment of these values. They also want their staff to look attractive and passengers expect them to! Flight attendant uniforms have been elegant fashion statements throughout the history of aviation and are carefully crafted to distinguish an airline from its competitors.