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Korean Air has announced a major update to its flight attendant dress code—the first in the airline’s 57-year history.
On the 22nd, aviation industry sources said Korean Air is considering revising its dress code, after labor-management discussions, to allow cabin crew to wear sneakers or performance footwear while on duty. The move is intended to improve crew comfort and mobility.
At present, Korean Air requires flight attendants to wear shoes with 3–5 cm heels (about 1.2–2.0 in) while working in the cabin. That rule has been in place since the airline was founded 57 years ago.
A Korean Air official said, “We’re making structural and functional improvements to the uniform to boost comfort and mobility.” The official added, “We’re also internally reviewing the introduction of functional work shoes based on labor-management consultations.”
That said, the proposal is still in its early stages, and it could be some time before any changes take effect. If the policy is finalized, Asiana Airlines—set to merge with Korean Air by year-end—would adopt the same rules.
The airline industry has been gradually moving toward allowing crew to wear sneakers. In February, Jeju Air provided sneakers to all cabin crew to improve onboard working conditions and strengthen emergency response capabilities.
Aero K, which launched in 2020, made sneakers its official work shoes from the start. Eastar Air also allows crew to wear alternative shoes instead of traditional dress shoes, provided they maintain a black color scheme.
Requiring flight attendants to wear dress shoes has long been criticized for health reasons. Experts point to it as a major contributor to chronic fatigue and musculoskeletal problems.
A survey by the Korean Air Employees’ Union found that cabin crew walk more than 15,000 steps on average each day. The survey also found that some crew members stand on duty for nearly 14 hours at a time.
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