Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEmployee engagementDress codes

British Airways unveils new uniform

by Ashleigh Webber 6 Jan 2023
by Ashleigh Webber 6 Jan 2023 Image: British Airways
Image: British Airways

British Airways has revealed its new uniform to be worn by its 30,000 employees from spring 2023.

The uniform, designed by Savile Row tailor and designer Ozwald Boateng OBE, underwent ‘secret’ trials by some of its employees to establish whether the garments were suitable for a variety of roles in the air and on the ground.

It is the first time the airline has launched a new uniform in nearly 20 years, and follows BA’s decision last November to allow male employees to wear makeup, nail polish, ‘man buns’, and have piercings.

The cabin crew uniform features a tailored three-piece suit for men with regular and slim-fit style trousers, while women have the option of wearing a dress, skirt or trousers. There is also a jumpsuit option available, which BA said was an “airline first”, as well as a tunic and hijab.

Boateng has been developing British Airways’ new uniform since 2018, shadowing a number of BA employees in different roles to see what they needed from the uniform.

He settled on a modern, stylish design with sustainable materials that are easy to care for; 90% of the garments are made using blends of recycled polyester.

Image: British Airways

Image: British Airways

Image: British Airways

Image: British Airways

Image: British Airways

Secret trials by BA employees have taken place over the past six months, with cabin crew uniforms being tested on cargo flights over Europe, and engineer garments being worn while maintaining aircraft in Manchester and Cotswold airports.

Outdoor clothing was tested in extreme wet and cold conditions to ensure it was water-resistant and durable.

Employees were able to give feedback on the practicability of the uniforms, which has resulted in some amendments. For example, engineers requested easy access tool pockets, while ground handlers asked for gloves with fabric that allowed them to continue to use touch-screen devices, and cabin crew apron pockets were widened to ensure they had room for everything they needed for meal services.

Boateng said: “Designing this uniform was a vast and painstaking undertaking and it went far beyond clothes. It was about creating an energetic shift internally.

“One of my main objectives was to create something that spoke to, and for, the airline’s colleagues. Something that inspired and empowered them, encouraged them to conduct their roles with pride and most importantly to ensure that they felt seen and heard. Although the airline has a strong heritage, it was imperative to support in creating a fresh narrative of change and transcendence, while remaining timeliness.”

Engineers and ground operatives will receive the new uniform in the spring, while cabin crew, pilots, and check-in agents will switch over in the summer. Their old uniforms will be donated to charity or recycled.

Rival airline Virgin Atlantic also launched a new uniform policy last year, allowing employees to choose which garments to wear, regardless of their gender identity.

Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today


Browse more human resources jobs

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor of OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
NHS ‘Growing occupational health’ strategy receives official launch
next post
RAD Awards 2023 shortlist: Use of Technology Award

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

British Airways’ male staff allowed to wear makeup

11 Nov 2022

Virgin Atlantic staff can choose uniform regardless of...

28 Sep 2022

Tattoos in the workplace: dress codes and visible...

23 Aug 2022

Christian awarded £22k following dismissal over religious necklace

24 Jun 2022

Boris Johnson’s partygate fixed penalty notice: any lessons...

14 Apr 2022

Christian nurse dismissed for wearing cross necklace wins...

6 Jan 2022

Office etiquette: time to stamp out pandemic ‘bad...

17 Sep 2021

Nursery worker asked to show less cleavage loses...

15 Sep 2021

Does the ‘new normal’ mean a new dress...

10 Sep 2021

Summer 2021: six potential issues for employers

20 Jul 2021

  • The Workplace Today Guide: Why it pays to support your staff’s financial health PROMOTED | The cost of living crisis has hit...Read more
  • abrdn pensions master trust: an enhanced member experience PROMOTED | For most people, their pension will be the largest source of income in retirement...Read more
  • How can HR equip leaders to support a wounded workforce? PROMOTED | The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines for employers...Read more
  • How HR manages absence and hybrid working (survey) WEBINAR | HR professionals are slowly realising...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+