Why do flight attendants have to wear stockings?

A former flight attendant recently sparked internet debate when she openly criticized the airline industry’s outdated uniform code in a stand-up comedy performance. She pointed out that the mandatory wearing of stockings not only restricts freedom of movement in an emergency, but also poses a serious safety hazard – the synthetic fibers are prone to melting and sticking to the skin in the event of a fire, causing secondary burns. According to airline safety regulations, flight attendants are required to remove their stockings during the final steps of an emergency evacuation.

The revelation set off a wave of discussion on social media, with the public questioning why there are still airlines that require female flight attendants to wear skirts instead of pants. Critics argued that requiring flight attendants to wear potentially life-threatening stockings fundamentally contradicts modern aviation safety standards. The discussion extends to sexist dress codes in the aviation industry, with supporters calling for uniform standards that prioritize functionality, use flame-retardant fabrics, and eliminate mandatory skirts in order to achieve a truly “safety-first” approach to the profession.

Why do flight attendants wear stockings?

The Origin of Flight Attendants: A Historical Perspective

Flight attendant uniforms from the past fifty years

The discussion about flight attendant dress codes must begin with the profession’s origins. In 1930, Boeing executive Steve Stimpson had a casual conversation with nurse Ellen Church that would redefine air travel. They envisioned creating the world’s first “air stewardess” – a role combining medical care skills with customer service.

During their discussion, Church proposed: “Sir, don’t you think our flights need a position that requires basic medical training to care for passengers’ health? Someone with a gentle, attentive personality who can keep travelers calm and comfortable throughout the journey.”

This innovative concept transformed aviation operations. By assigning passenger care to trained professionals, Boeing allowed co-pilots to focus entirely on flying duties, significantly enhancing flight safety. Church became the aviation industry’s first female flight attendant, pioneering a profession that would evolve dramatically over the next century.

The role’s early requirements reflected both practical needs and marketing strategies. While nursing skills remained essential, airlines also began using attractive uniforms as part of their luxury branding – a tradition that would shape dress code debates for decades to come.

Evolution of the Cabin Crew Role and Harmonization of Standards

After refining the concept, Steve Stimpson presented it to Boeing’s leadership. Executives immediately recognized the operational benefits: freeing co-pilots from passenger service duties allowed them to better assist pilots with navigation and safety protocols. Ellen Church, who came up with the original idea, became Boeing’s first flight attendant and a pioneering female crewmember in civil aviation.

The success of Boeing’s innovation sparked industry-wide adoption. By the 1950s, all major airlines had incorporated female flight attendants into their teams. However. as air travel shifted from elite transportation to mass service. airlines began to capitalize on the appearance of their flight crews for marketing purposes.

During this transition:

Airlines targeted glamorous uniform designs featuring form-fitting skirts and stockings.
As living standards improved, airlines introduced in-flight entertainment, including singing/dancing shows.
Contractual age limits (usually 20-26) emerged, with most airlines requiring unmarried status.
Pageant-style hiring contests became an industry practice.

This era created the “Flight Attendant Paradox” – while the role requires medical training and emergency response skills, visual presentation is often prioritized in hiring decisions. The industry’s dual role as safety professional and brand ambassador continues to evolve in the modern airline industry.

Nowadays, the times are developing, air fares are lower, and aviation is no longer a luxury consumption but a relatively civilianized means of transport. In the program, the stand-up comedian also issued a question about flight attendants wearing stockings, and the crew leader replied: wearing pants may be uncomfortable for some passengers. This former flight attendant also disliked back to the aircraft seat replaced with a bed, flight attendants wearing armor standing in front of the passengers, the passengers will not feel uncomfortable. It can be seen that the elegant look of the flight attendants belongs to the value-added services for passengers, which, however, has constraints on the core values.

In-flight fashion uniforms for 12 flight attendants in 1968

Flight attendants are not only responsible for daily service, but also responsible for organizing the safe evacuation of passengers in dangerous situations, and disposing of the heavy responsibility of dangerous situations on board. But how can flight attendants protect themselves in danger when they wear skirts and stockings? If she can’t protect herself, how can she help passengers evacuate safely?

The Price of Beauty and High Pay

That’s right, for the profession of flight attendant, appearance and external image are like their “professional weapons”, which is probably a consensus among many people inside and outside the industry. In fact, the job of a flight attendant is more about presenting a good image and a positive attitude, rather than providing substantive service content.

Virgin Atlantic launches UK’s first ‘Pride Flight’ cabin crew uniform

Most people’s impression of flight attendants is that they are young, beautiful, and have a graceful figure. This is because airlines use extremely strict standards similar to beauty pageants when selecting flight attendants. After a long period of selection and training, many flight attendants have accepted from the bottom of their hearts and firmly believe that taking good care of their appearance is very important.
Additionally, there is a stereotype that flight attendants receive high salaries. People often say, “If you look beautiful, you can become a flight attendant and earn more.

In the public perception, flight attendants belong to the high-paying profession. Twenty years ago, stewardesses can easily earn more than ten thousand dollars per month, while the average person’s monthly salary at that time was more than a thousand dollars. In the past twenty years, although the wages of stewardesses have not risen much, but they are still steadily in the ranks of high pay. This kind of “warm water boiled frog” like a slow rhythm of salary increases, and did not extinguish the majority of people eager to enter this “high pay” industry that enthusiasm.

Pan American World Airlines flight attendant

There is a “beauty index” in the field of economics. Meaning, which industry development momentum, profit margins, that industry is relatively more beautiful women. Take the foreign trade industry thirty years ago, the real estate and flight attendant industry fifteen years ago, and the ever-popular financial industry. The industry needed to look good to raise its profile, and women wanted to make financial gains from their appearance, and both sides hit it off.

From one perspective, flight attendants can be considered beneficiaries of the traditional beauty pageant mechanism. They enjoy the scarcity of high-quality employment opportunities, but also by virtue of their face value to obtain additional economic returns, also known as the “face value premium.

The beauty pageant-like mechanism in the selection of flight attendants appears on the surface to be just a screening process for women’s appearance, but in fact there is a deeper social problem behind it. In the male-dominated aesthetic perspective, the value of women is simply and brutally reduced to sexual value, or is regarded as the only important, the greatest value.

However, once there is a “change” in the industry, such as allowing flight attendants to wear pantsuits, it breaks the traditional image of flight attendants. This means that hiring standards will be diversified, which may weaken the competitive edge of existing flight attendants.

Some netizens have commented, “If flight attendants don’t wear skirts, stockings or high heels, then airlines might not recruit women as flight attendants.” “A lot of girls will not be able to compete for the position of stewardess, so hard work will have to be handed over to the strong boys to do.”

But is there a problem with this? The pseudo high-end professional identity of ‘flight attendant’ will no longer exist.
Male and female flight attendants are required on the plane. Men have the power to assist in carrying luggage, while women are attentive and patient, able to mediate passenger conflicts, but both do not require additional value.
Not wearing stockings and short skirts does not necessarily mean that young women will become unemployed. The recruitment criteria have shifted from “beautiful women” to professionals who have passed professional evaluations, requiring young people with good reaction speed, learning ability, and physical fitness to cope with unexpected events on the plane. However, height and appearance are no longer strict requirements, which may reduce some customer complaints and conflicts.

What would happen if cancel wearing stockings and high heels

U.S. Flight Attendants Organize Major Protest Against Sexism in the Workplace

Let’s take the US aviation industry as a reference.

In the 1960s and 1970s, American flight attendants organized a large-scale protest against gender discrimination in the workplace. At that time, many airlines used “sexualized” images of flight attendants in their advertisements to attract passengers. Eventually, their efforts led the US aviation industry to eliminate requirements that flight attendants could not get married, as well as age and weight restrictions.

Laws and protests safeguarded the legitimate working rights of flight attendants. However, it was the shift in the aviation market that truly brought about industry transformation. Airplanes were no longer exclusive to the elite but became accessible to the general public. In 1978, the US government deregulated airlines, allowing companies to set their own ticket prices.

Starting from the 1980s, flight attendant uniforms increasingly emphasized professionalism. Various cocktail dresses were replaced by loose-fitting suits, and skirt lengths were adjusted to just above the knee.

Uniform changes of Global Airlines from left to right since 1936

With the retirement of the previous generation of flight attendants, experienced middle-aged “flight attendants” and “flight uncles” have become the mainstay of American Airlines, with varying heights, weights, and thinness. Regardless of appearance, professional service is essential, which has become a consensus in the global aviation industry.

In fact, the dress code for flight attendants in various countries has been constantly adjusted and has undergone significant changes over the years.

Japan Airlines introduces new uniforms after seven years

Japan Airlines abolished the requirement for female employees to wear skirts and stockings to work in 2020 and added the option of pants.
In the same year, South Korean Aero K Airlines released a “gender neutral uniform”, allowing all flight attendants to wear lightweight pants and sneakers.

Indonesian stewardess uniforms

Aer Lingus allows flight attendants to freely choose their hairstyles and makeup, and equally, there are also multiple sets of alternative uniforms available, so there is no need to wear a full suit on the plane.
Ukraine SkyUp Airlines directly allows flight attendants to wear sneakers and sportswear to work, placing functionality above aesthetics.
Indonesian flight attendant, no need to tie hair, no dress, just work clothes with flat shoes.

The elimination of clothing that does not comply with safety regulations may be an inevitable trend, and it is expected that more and more airlines will follow suit with uniform reforms in the future. Cancelling stockings and high heels is an inevitable trend, after all, flight safety is always the top priority.

When a male passenger complained that the Argentine Airlines flight attendants were short and fat, the airline politely replied: Prejudice cannot get on the plane, so we left it on the ground.