The new design of uniforms worn by national carrier China Airlines’ (CAL) flight attendants was criticized at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, with lawmakers on the Transportation Committee particularly focusing on the “grandma” style footwear.
The committee was scheduled to review the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s budget for the 2016 fiscal year.
However, in a departure from the agenda, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), hit out at the design of the flight attendants’ uniforms, introduced earlier this year.
Photo: Kan Chih-chi, Taipei Times
She recognized the efforts of the airline to make improvements and she had begun flying with CAL, Yeh said.
However, the design of the flight attendants’ uniforms indicates that there are still problems with the management, she said.
Yeh asked if the designer of the new uniforms is a fan of cartoons or the Transformers movie franchise.
Not only do the passengers dislike the changes, but flight attendants said that wearing the new uniforms interferes with their work, she said.
The “grandma” shoes worn by female flight attendants are hopelessly old-fashioned and as they are fastened with buckles they are inconvenient for attendants working on long-distance flights, she said.
As CAL is Taiwan’s national carrier, Yeh said that the flight attendants represent the country.
She suggested that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) ask CAL to change its uniforms.
In response, MOTC Minister Chen Jian-yu (陳建宇) said he would forward the suggestions to the company.
The uniforms’ designer William Chang (張叔平) was nominated for an Academy Award this year in the best costume design category for his work on the movie The Grandmaster.
In response to the criticism, Chang said that if the uniforms make attendants look like robots from Transformers the designs exceeded his expectations as it indicates they have both style and power.
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