Why South Korea’s flight attendants are forced to brave bitter cold in thin uniforms
Flight attendants commute in uniform due to lack of changing rooms at Incheon Airport as labour groups fight for better conditions
Even in freezing weather, they can be seen wearing thin jackets and low shoes that leave their ankles exposed. The sight has become a familiar part of the airport’s daily rhythm.
Behind the scenes, however, lies a less visible reality. Many of these flight attendants are not choosing to commute in uniform but are forced to because their employers do not provide facilities like changing rooms.
According to an aviation industry worker, the reason flight attendants report to work in thin uniforms that are not warm enough for the cold weather is simple: airlines do not provide adequate changing rooms or lockers.
The practice is not limited to low-cost carriers. Even Korean Air, a full-service airline that markets itself as a global carrier, requires flight attendants to arrive at work already in uniform or to change clothes in restrooms, workers said.
Until recently, Asiana Airlines had been an exception, providing flight attendants with personal lockers and coat hangers. After its merger with Korean Air, however, those facilities were eliminated.