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Delta Uniform Sizes Not Big Enough for Some Northwest Flight Attendants

posted by alexism on Jul. 14, '09 at 11:25 AM


posted by alexism on Jul. 14, '09 at 11:25 AM
And boy, are these plus-sized girls pissed. The union representing flight attendants that worked for Northwest Airlines before the merger has brought forth a grievance, requesting that the "little red dress" designed by Richard Tyler be available up to size 28. It's currently only available up to size 18.

But Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin says there have been few complaints. "The sizing of our red dress has not been an issue with Delta flight attendants since the program's inception three years ago. This is AFA [Association of Flight Attendants] hype leading up to the election."

She's referring to the upcoming representation election, during which the 7,000 pre-merger Northwest flight attendants and the 14,000 pre-merger Delta flight attendants will decide whether or not they want to be represented by a union.
posted by sopheava on Jul. 14, '09 at 11:55 AM
Excuse my lack of knowledge on the subject matter for a moment (I ask this in all honesty), but are there really flight attendants at a size 28? It's just that airplanes seem rather ... micro.
posted by alexism on Jul. 14, '09 at 12:10 PM
I would think an individual wearing a size 28 would be unable to safely perform all the required duties. But the article states otherwise ("Reller said a flight attendant who wears above a size 18 can do all of those functions well.") I guess I've never actually seen a fat flight attendant.
posted by peterHDK on Jul. 14, '09 at 12:30 PM
And I've never seen a flight attendant that looks like the picture above. I'd freak out if I did, wondering why that robot lady was smirking at me with her robot posse standing all threatening like behind her.
posted by KittyZ on Jul. 14, '09 at 12:51 PM
I think the problem is that they are offering size 28 in other colors, but not the red color. I would find that annoying as well.
posted by simon_peter on Jul. 14, '09 at 5:08 PM
You gotta admit, those are pretty chic flight attendant unis. My ex-flight attendant looked really hot in hers. Then she got laid off.
posted by AlphaBean on Jul. 14, '09 at 6:43 PM
Why not just make them purchase two uniforms?
posted by alexism on Jul. 15, '09 at 12:50 PM
That seems reasonable. Don't fat passengers have to purchase two seats?

The image above did remind me a little of the Austin Powers fembots.
posted by AlphaBean on Jul. 15, '09 at 7:08 PM
My point exactly! They can sew the uniforms together.

Delta flight attendants: They love to eat and it shows. Teehee.
posted by alexism on Jul. 15, '09 at 9:42 PM
I'm calling in a professional; I'm forwarding this thread to a friend in the biz because now I really want to know how many flight attendants there are up between size 18 and 28. There just can't be that many. It can't be safe!
posted by cursenbless on Jul. 15, '09 at 10:04 PM
The Delta outfits are pretty sharp, I must say...

And on a AMS-MSP NW-operated flight last week, my rather size-y attendant had wrapped herself in the red number above. She seemed set to burst at the seams and that tie/belt might has well have been a strand of dental floss... but I must admit that it was even somewhat flattering on her.

I can not, however, imagine those wraps being made in sizes any larger. Any larger that my flight attendant last week would be absurd.
posted by simon_peter on Jul. 15, '09 at 11:16 PM
I think you have to be a certain size or smaller to get hired, but I don't think they'll fire you for gaining weight. And who would gain weight with a lifestyle of 18-hour shifts and hotels in Coeur d'Alene and Schenectady?
posted by AlphaBean on Jul. 16, '09 at 2:40 AM
A depressed flight attendant with a thyroid disorder and poor impulse control?
posted by seriousfunmpls on Jul. 16, '09 at 9:04 AM
Every NWA international flight i have taken, always came with size-y attendants. What made up for this are the HOT attendants on either SilkAir, Qatar Airways or Emirates.
As long as they do their job, i honestly dont care what they look like.
posted by simon_peter on Jul. 16, '09 at 5:25 PM
I emailed the ex-flight attendant and she confirmed both: (1) there is no size maximum to get hired (that would be discrimination, duh, but I thought they had a loophole); and (2) there are plenty of big ones, mostly from the Northwest side of the family. "ALOT at nwa!!!!!!!! we had a girl who barely fit in the jumpseat." (She likes punctuation.)
posted by alexism on Jul. 16, '09 at 9:21 PM
Hence she's both an ex-flight attendant and your ex. [Snicker.]
posted by kulah on Jul. 17, '09 at 1:46 PM
Yes, there are gals with girth that fly. Even if there are only a few women that are a size 28 they deserve to have the same uniform options as anyone else. There is a problem when Delta limits it's cute uniform pieces only to flight attendants who'd wear it well. The sizing for uniforms runs small. So maybe a 28 is not as big as we think? I normally wear a size 6 dress, but I had to get a size 10 for my uniform. The red dress may not look that good on big girls, but it is their choice if they want to wear it, not ours.
posted by thejackal on Jul. 17, '09 at 1:57 PM
I'm back on a contract with what is now Delta. In the past I'd joked that I wish they'd moved the flight attendents into the IT building, but I was told that NWA's flight attendants are some of, if not the most, "experienced" in the industry.
posted by alexism on Jul. 17, '09 at 1:58 PM
Ah, there's my expert.

So we'll assume a size 28 is really a size 24. Delta uniform sizing sounds like H&M sizing. I can't fit my hips into a size 10 dress from that place.
posted by Aurinko on Jul. 17, '09 at 2:24 PM
Is it just me or does that uniform look incredibly warm? In the image it appears to be that kind of quasi-rainwear material that doesn't breathe at all and drenches the wearer in sweat. But maybe I'm wrong.
posted by alexism on Jul. 17, '09 at 2:32 PM
Yeah, it looks like the little shiny polyester Barbie dresses. I haven't flown Delta in a few years, though, so I haven't seen one in person.
posted by sxoidmal on Jul. 17, '09 at 11:43 PM
If this is a continuity, however, when does it end? Why should not size 30 and size 40 dresses also be designed and offered? I don't think they'd look good anymore, considering the cut and design, but that's something the designer should have considered: a sharp-looking uniform that hangs well on all frames from skinny to morbidly obese. Even if there are no employees that size, no applicants that size. There should be a wardrobe reserved for hypothetical employees of Delta who fall well outside the current dress range, waiting to be observed and actualized.

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