China Airlines has debuted a new pantsuit uniform option for its female flight attendants in response to calls for gender equality.
The Taiwanese flag carrier declared that all of its female employees in front-line service roles – including ground crews, ticketing staff, and flight attendants at Songshan Airport (TSA), Taoyuan Airport (TPE) and Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) – can now wear either the pantsuit uniform or the skirt option, based on their personal preferences or the nature of their work.
Over time, the pantsuit uniform will be distributed to all staff. The first batch was worn on January 1, 2025.
Taiwan's China Airlines has launched a new pantsuit uniform in keeping with global trends in the aviation industry. The pantsuit uniform will be progressively distributed to all staff and the first batch can be worn beginning today. pic.twitter.com/AmxYwNHXuD
— Tomasz Śniedziewski (@TSniedziewski) January 1, 2025
Certain China Airlines flight attendants have said that the pantsuit option is like a “breath of fresh air” as it allows them to perform common tasks such as kneeling to pick up an item or adjusting luggage aboard the plane with ease, while maintaining the airline’s “elegant” look.
According to the airline, the introduction of pantsuit uniforms for women in front-line service positions has broken down the traditional stereotype of female service staff wearing mainly skirt suits.
“Making both uniform options available in the future will not only preserve the gentle grace that China Airlines is renowned for but also emphasize the professionalism of modern women,” the airline said, adding that employee diversity development has always been a priority.