Airline ditches traditional flight attendant uniforms for shorts and T-shirts

‘If you’re non-binary, pregnant, work in the office or onboard, we have options for you,’ says Bonza

Bonza is launching with casual uniforms (Bonza)

A new budget airline in Australia is the latest to swap stuffy traditional flight attendants’ uniforms for a more contemporary approach.

Bonza unveiled a look that it claims “reflects current trends”, with a range that includes shorts, trousers, T-shirts and trainers.

The smart-casual range comes in a colour palette of white, black and a grey-lilac, with the carrier’s logo – a lower case “b” that resembles a thumbs up – adding embellishment to each item.

Bonza has a range of uniforms to choose from (Bonza)

“Our brief was clear,” Carly Povey, chief commercial officer at Bonza, said of the uniform design.

“Create a uniform that Bonza [flight attendants] will wear with pride. We know airline uniforms are the land that time forgot and we wanted to change that with our partners at Total Image Group.”

Alongside the informal, modern clothes, Bonza is throwing out the old-fashioned grooming guide still favoured by some airlines.

“We won’t dictate what lipstick to wear, or whether you have to wear lipstick at all,” said Ms Povey.

“We won’t ask crew to cover up their tattoos and just because you’re female, that doesn’t mean you have to wear a skirt.

Uniforms are embellished with the Bonza logo (Bonza)

“If you’re non-binary, pregnant, work in the office or onboard, we have options for you. Bonza is for the many, not the few…”

Pamela Jabbour, the group head designer and CEO of Total Image – which created the uniform designs – said: “My goal was for the uniforms to reflect the excitement and optimism that Bonza brings to Aussie travellers. They’re ditching the rule book in every way and the uniforms are no exception.

“Instead of pantyhose, polyester shirts, black high heels and traditional embroidery, we have created a uniform that reflects current trends and that [flight attendants] will wear with pride.”

The airline launches this year, focusing on Australian domestic routes.

Its approach reflects the changing attitudes towards previously strict grooming rules for cabin crew, which many now feel are outdated.

Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Japan Airlines and KLM have all added the option for trousers to be worn by female crew in recent years, with Virgin also allowing visible piercings and tattoos for the first time as of this month.

in 2021, Ukraine’s budget airline SkyUp unveiled comfy new slouchy trouser suit uniforms for female flight attendants, to be worn with smart white trainers.