Asiana Airlines will provide employees with Korean Air Lines' celadon-colored uniforms to wear after the launch of the integrated airline. Korean Air Lines is currently working on improving its uniforms, and as production of the integrated uniform has been delayed, Asiana Airlines will for now wear the same uniform.
According to the aviation industry on the 6th, Asiana Airlines recently began on-site briefings on uniforms for employees. The briefings introduce Korean Air Lines' celadon-colored uniforms, which are being improved, and share plans to distribute them.
Korean Air Lines plans to keep the design but change only materials and sub-materials to improve the convenience, elasticity and breathability of the current uniforms.
The two companies will begin taking employees' measurements next month so that staff can have the uniforms ready by the end of this year, when the integrated airline is launched.
The aviation industry had expected Korean Air Lines to unveil a newly designed uniform ahead of the integrated airline's launch. However, as uniform production has been delayed, the celadon-colored uniforms of Korean Air Lines will continue to be used for some time even after the integration.
Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae also said at a press conference last year, "We are revising the uniform design by compiling flight attendants' difficulties, but it seems it will still take more time to incorporate the improvements."
The saekdong stripe design of Asiana Airlines' uniforms, in place since 1988, will disappear after 38 years. Asiana Airlines' current uniforms were introduced in 2003, but they retained the saekdong design that has been used since the company's founding in 1988.
Asiana Airlines' uniforms are based on gray and brown, emphasizing a comfortable and cozy feel. In the saekdong, red signifies devotion, yellow liveliness, and blue safety.
Korean Air Lines' current uniforms were introduced in Mar. 2005, marking their 21st year this year. As the 11th uniform design since the airline's founding, they emphasize a bright and soft feel with celadon and beige as the base colors.
An Asiana Airlines official said, "We are holding briefings for flight attendants to share preliminary information about the uniforms that will be worn after the integrated airline is launched."
A Korean Air Lines official also said, "We are conducting briefings for flight attendants on the improved uniforms," adding, "These uniforms are not the new uniform design for the integrated Korean Air Lines. The new uniform design will proceed after fully collecting employees' inconvenience points."
The aviation industry expects it will take several years for the integrated Korean Air Lines' uniforms to be released. An industry official said, "Since expense was incurred to create functionally improved garments, it seems likely that these uniforms will be used for the next two to three years."
Among Asiana Airlines employees who must obtain the celadon-colored uniforms, there is also dissatisfaction. With new uniforms slated to be introduced, some see it as wasteful, and there are opinions that the light-colored workwear does not suit the work environment.
Asiana Airlines union leader Gwon Su-jeong said, "The new uniforms should be created through a clothing committee that reflects the opinions of frontline employees," adding, "To uphold the meaning of integration, I think it is better to distribute newly designed uniforms even if it delays the integration of attire."