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Discrimination on the runway: Delta's uniform sizing
Delta is under fire from its new partner Northwest Airlines due to what they claim is weight discrimination. Delta's signature bright red dress, which debuted on the NY runways in 2005 and hit the airways in 2006, only comes in up to size 18."Red is a color that attracts attention and someone, somewhere has made a decision that they don't want to attract attention to someone in a dress that's larger than a size 18," says Patricia Reller, vice chair of the Northwest flight attendants' union's grievance committee. "I'm very offended by it," she adds.
The committee also filed complaints in regards to Delta's "requirement that flight attendants who wear orthopedic shoes must wear slacks and not a skirt or dress. Those that wear the orthopedic shoes must obtain a doctor's note," according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Designer of the red dress, Richard Tyler (pictured), was reportedly envisioning the flights of yore, when everyone dressed up to fly, and well ... apparently when flight attendants wore heels and were under size 18. Delta, whose flight attendants have no union, claims that there are plenty of options for fuller figured employees, including slacks, skirts, and other dresses.
Because Northwest's flight attendants have a union, this merger may mean a lot of changes for Delta.
Check out this video of Delta giving the Northwest Airlines employees their fittings:
"We rolled out the red carpet in Minneapolis / St. Paul to celebrate the completion of our style clinics for our Northwest flight attendants. The clinics gave attendants a first hand look and feel of Delta's uniforms: The Richard Tyler Collection. Celebrity designer, Richard Tyler, was on-hand to provide custom style consultations to the flight attendants." -- the YouTube caption, via DeltaAirLines.
Style clinics?? What do you think?
Further reading: Our resident flight attendant Heather Poole has "a thing for airline uniforms." Read here!
Gallery: 10 things that will mess up your vacation
[via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
Filed under: Airlines, News, Women's Travel
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)
dan Jul 11th 2009 10:47AM
i'm so sick of fatasses complaining about people who 'discriminate' about weight. stop being offended and start getting and shape. if someone chooses to live a sedentary lifestyle, society will and should NOT ignore their fatness. it is absolutley no one else's fault if someone is obese enough where they can't fit into certain clothes. and the worst part is when a fat person will park in handicapped parking spaces or use ride-on carts at supermarkets; guess what fat people - you're not handicapped, you're just lazy piles of lard who don't have the self-respect of responsibility to take care of yourselves. so please fatasses, go eat some more twinkies and, by all means, please bash people who judge you for your wait, you poor poor things.
ASHLEY Jul 11th 2009 10:51AM
Another typical reaction of some males to women in a (subservient) service position. What is it with some men who cannot see women beyond being a sex object? Thinking with the wrong head?
shar Jul 11th 2009 11:02AM
Whatever314: Are you nuts. TODAY the average American woman is a size 12 to 14... size six is your fantasy! size 18 fir a woman who is 5-7 to 6' tall is not FAT! she can be 5'8" tall and weigh 165 to 175 and wear a size 18...and look great! Women are taller, larger feet (size 7 and 8 is average). Average women are not victoria secret models.
Charley Jul 11th 2009 12:17PM
Sorry, 5'8" and 175 lbs. is TOO BIG for a woman. A man who is 5'8" and 175 is probably overweight, unless he's a bodybuilder.
Lizzie Jul 11th 2009 10:54AM
I don't care if they go naked as long as i have a good flight and in the case of an emergency they arent tripping over their heels down the aisle! personally i think its dumb to put stewardesses in desinger clothes, that obviously cost a pretty penny, when i see planes crashing left and right in the news. How about spending some money to build a designer aircraft that actually flies...
nan Jul 11th 2009 10:49AM
so lose the weight or go get another job...i can't smoke on your planes so i'm discrininated against..no more excuse for fat than cigarettes...
ASHLEY Jul 11th 2009 10:52AM
Flight attendants are women who do an extraordinary, not just above average, job under difficult conditions and despite the harassment of some ignorant and rude passengers and apparently some designers too. Their uniforms SHOULD be in the above average size range too.
Gregory Schwartz Jul 11th 2009 10:53AM
We have become a nation of cry-babies who refuse to take responsibility for their actions. We have an excuse for everything. Instead of losing weight, they scream "discrimination". I remember the fifties when there wasn't so much wining and crying about being offended. If you take up two seats, you're just going to have to purchase two tickets! Enough said! -GS
nan Jul 11th 2009 10:53AM
Size 18 is pretty big.. so what's the beef... well maybe that is the problem.
shar Jul 11th 2009 10:53AM
sharing your seat? Hey I fit in mine...but the tall guy in front of me reclines and I spend the flight with his head in my face! The tall thin, long limb person next to me take up the entire arm rest so mine are in my lap! Over 6 feet and thier knees are spread open so they can squeeze in behind the 4 inches left from the seat in front ...so where is my space? STOP thinking it's fat people! It's the seats that have been reduced to child size.
machelle Jul 11th 2009 11:20AM
This whole conversation is the very epitome of what is wrong with this country. Who gives a crap what the flight attendants are wearing! I fly 2-3 times per month, and honestly, all I want is for my flight to take off on time and to be treated with a little respect. The way the flight attendants treat the passengers you wouldn't think they were providing a SERVICE...sometimes I am treated like I wasn't the one who purchased a ticket to pay their salary. PLEASE give me a flight attendant who takes pride in his/her job and can at least demonstrate that he/she has heard of the concept of "Customer Service." If I can get that on my next flight, I don't care what color her dress is, or what size she is.
I wish we could have meaningful discourse in this country about things that matter.
Courtney Jul 11th 2009 10:59AM
Regardless of discrimination and the like, what ever happened to CLASS? About 1.5 yrs ago, I was sick and on high-dose steroids. I gained 40 lbs and ballooned from a size 4 to a 12. All of my miniskirts, bikinis and tight tops went into the closet until I lost it all. It is simply in BAD TASTE when you are large to waddle around in certain outfits. Maybe these women should take stock in themselves and thank Delta from saving them the embarrassment of having to wear a little red dress that would be inappropriate at their size.
judi Jul 11th 2009 11:03AM
ok, i hope your around and or under 20 years old- as that is such an
inappropriate and uncalled for comment, number one..
and most importantly if this "alleged" over size 18 f/a -in an air
crash- was the only person still left alive or conscious and had her
hand out to save your rude and obnoxious ass, would you turn down her
help to save your sorry life, cuz she was a big old cow, or would you
be experiencing undying gratitude for her possibly risking her life to
save yours , as it would have been more jurisprudent for her to swim
away from the burmning fussilage and water mix???????????????? and
just leave you there-yet her big fat size 18 ass did not.
im alot thinner and an ex prof. swimmer and let me tell you , id
probably leave you there.
earsstinks Jul 11th 2009 11:00AM
I am so sick of these snivelling LIBHURLS spreading their icing to make everything sweeter.I had a six hour flight last month and had some fat ass ( yes fat ass and I HOPE your eyes are bleeding libs ) sit next to me with half their fat ass in my seat.I put down the arm rest and smashed their fat ass so as I could TRY to get some room and comfort the fat ass complain that it was hurting her .I told her her ass was half way in MY seat and that it was hurting me.She complain to the stewardess ( who was also a fat ass) told me to put the arm rest back up I told her I would when she got her ass out of MY SEAT.I kept applying pressure on the fat ass the whole flight pushing her fat ass as much as i could out of MY SEAT.I also went to the rest room turned my belt buckle to the side her fat ass was up against me and l kept my weight with the buckle point right in her fat ass.She complain to the stewardess that something was poking her in her side??? side it was her fat ass.I told the stewardess not my problem. This P.C crap has to stop at everyone else's expense and comfort .So next time you have to fly get a belt with a huge belt buckle that has knobs or points on it and apply pressure against the fat ass that is in your seat and they will move as much of their fat ass against the person next to them or they will fly with their body smashed against the fussilodge. F# ck you LIBHURLS and DIE !It aint like daddy can pull over and seetle the ( ISSUE ).that is another P>C word for peopel with PROBLEMS some more spreading of the LIBHURL icing issues. lol
Sue Jul 11th 2009 11:07AM
Is the size 18 US / Western based woman? Or, is it size 18 Asian sizing? If Asian sizing this would be about a 10, the average Western woman is a 14 US.
However, if it is a US, than 18, is toooooooooooooooooooo large. Most US FA's men and women, are RUDE, NOT HELPFUL hell they REFUSE to help put your carry on in the compartments, I am 4'10 and then they tell me not to stand on the seat to put the carry on in the compartment, yet they won't do it!
Other airlines, international, they are more groomed, they smile and they help. Our US FA's set themselves up for loss due to their non grooming and arrogant. The US airlines need to change this, not just pieces of material!
shar Jul 11th 2009 11:00AM
Lizzie I don't want to see "Naked" but comfortable clothes that will allow them to do the job safely would be good. If they need to move fast, react to emergency wear track shoes, slacks and a t-shirt. I want to know they can run, climb, squeeze through a small space to help save my life. that's it... get me where I'm going. Lizzie I agree with you!
Wolfskyesong Jul 11th 2009 11:03AM
To Judi, no I am not 20. I am 44, have had three kids and have always been a size 2, through eating right and exercise. It was a joke! And there are lines of work where size matters! Planes are tight spaces and a very obese person would have a hard time being a flight attendant and fitting down narrow aisles. Just as with as small as I am, I probably would suck at any job that requires a lot of strength. It's called being realistic! And I really do get pissed off that being fat is seen as some kind of handicap, when it is a choice! I am a smoker (NOT healthy and MY choice) and people feel they can come up to me and tell me it's a nasty habit etc...but if you say anything about someone being fat, OMG you are horrible! We all have unhealthy habits of some kind and they are CHOICES~
wkndcowby Jul 11th 2009 11:02AM
I'm a fairly large person myself and believe there are colors and styles that make you look larger. The color of that dress - in a size that is larger than an 18 is going to make the person wearing it look like a giant blood clot. And really who needs that serving you a cocktail?
wolfskyesong Jul 11th 2009 11:02AM
And a p.s. to Judi....I lost a loved one on 9/11 in the North Tower of the WTC, so no ass of any kind is needed to save mine in an air crash, because there is NO way in hell I would get on a plane ever again!
nancye Jul 11th 2009 11:05AM
I am happy to see that the flight attendants responding understand that safety really is the first consideration. As a frequent flier, I hope I fly with them.