British Airways to Make Female Uniform Blouses 43% Thicker to Make it Less See-Through Following Complaints

British Airways is making female uniform blouses at least 43% thicker because the original design was so sheer that it was partially see-through, leading to widespread complaints from staffers and an intervention from a flight attendant union after employees were told what underwear to wear.

The flimsy blouses were so sheer that shortly after issuing crew members with the controversial Ozwald Boateng-designed uniforms last year, the airline then sent out detailed guidance on what kind of underwear that flight attendants should wear.

In now-retracted guidance, British Airways told crew members to wear white bras and t-shirts and to avoid wearing lacy or patterned bras because the design might be visible through the silky blouse.

The guidance was quietly ditched after the official cabin crew uniform issued a formal complaint, telling its members that it “beggars belief” that it was forced to raise concerns over the guidance in the first place.

Earlier this year, British Airways was forced to seek feedback from disgruntled workers over the new uniform and after pouring through the results, the Heathrow-based carrier admitted that the new look garments weren’t “quite hitting the mark”.

The airline has now told female employees that it is exploring two new fabric options for the blouse, which will be at least 43% thicker than the original fabric. British Airways is also redesigning the collar of the ivory-colored blouse because it was prone to becoming stained in makeup.

Having listened to female staff feedback that parts of the uniform made them look masculine, British Airways also says that it is redesigning a cardigan to five it a more feminine fit.

The announced changes aren’t, however, expected to be rolled out for some time with prototypes still two months away and then lengthy wearer trials before mass manufacturing can begin.

British Airways first started working on its new uniform before the pandemic but global lockdowns led to the airline to quickly suspend work on the project in order to conserve cash.

The uniform, designed by Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng, was revealed in 2023 and then rolled out last October, and it features the world’s first airline jumpsuit for female employees.

Workers have, however, complained about the durability and comfort of certain items, although British Airways insists that many items in the collection are “performing well and proving popular”.

Earlier this week, Delta Air Lines told flight attendant hopefuls who had been invited to face-to-face interviews with the Atlanta-based carrier that they should wear underwear to their assessment day.

The airline was forced to remind interviewees that they must wear “proper undergarments” that aren’t visible in their interview.

Along with telling candidates to wear underwear, Delta also took the time to remind applicants that they must maintain their personal cleanliness and hygiene and that fingernails must be clean, neat, and trimmed. Interview clothing must be “professional and fit properly,” and skirts mustn’t be too short.

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