Delta Air Lines is taking a step back to review some of the new uniform designs for flight attendants. Reports say the airline is concerned that certain dress styles could hinder staff during emergency evacuations.
In March, it unveiled prototypes of new uniforms—the result of a secretive partnership with American fashion brand Gap Inc. that started in 2022. The airline intends to conduct a large-scale wearer test later this year before it finalises the designs.
The first unveiling got mixed reviews, however. Now, Delta has already decided to scrap three flight attendant dress options from the collection, all of which had extra flapping fabric: a flare dress, a drape dress, and an asymmetrical dress with layers of pleats.
A photograph of the initial test wearers dressed in bright red was posted to social media, and many people started drawing analogies to the costumes the characters wear in the hit HBO series The Handmaid’s Tale. It is thought, though it hasn’t been officially confirmed by Delta, that extra fabric on these dresses could potentially hinder flight attendants’ movement in case of emergency.
Despite these cuts, three other dress options remain under consideration: a coat dress, a scarf dress and a V-neck dress. The new uniform collection will hold on to the rich reds and dark blues for which Delta is known. Designers are working on the airline’s widget logo in different ways on various uniform items.
Mounted with caution, it is an approach that comes in the wake of previous uniform-related issues. Last year, Delta officially discontinued its ‘Passport Plum’ uniforms following multiple lawsuits. The flight attendants accused it of using some toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process for the Zac Posen-designed suits.
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Speaking on the matter, Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s senior vice president of customer experience design, said it wouldn’t rush design and rollout. This careful stance is to avoid the same problems encountered with the previous uniform collection.
The redesigning of the uniform line points out the thin line airlines draw between style, practicality, and safety. As Delta pushes ahead with its plans, the world will keenly watch how these new uniforms evolve in the airline industry and its staff.
Delta should conduct wear testing on the remaining designs in the latter half of this year. This is going to be a big testing phase because then styles will ascertain which makes the cut so that the new uniforms look beautiful while meeting the rigid safety and comfort standards the airline staff is expecting