By Albert Kuan
Mexican LCC VivaAerobus Debuts New Flight Attendant Uniforms, ‘Non-Discriminatory’ Appearance Standards
Mexico’s VivaAerobus will be rolling out new uniforms for all its flight attendants this coming week. The new uniform for the low-cost carrier also includes new appearance standards for its customer-facing employees like gate agents and flight attendants that allow for greater gender expression and personal style.
According to sources working for the airline, the new flight attendant uniforms will come onto the line on flights beginning this Tuesday. The new uniform renews the more formal black-white uniforms that have been synonymous with the Mexican low-cost carrier for many years since it was founded in 2006. Images of the renewed uniform line were first revealed on the airline’s Facebook page in late November to celebrate the airline’s 15th anniversary.
VivaAerobus’ new uniform line features bold color blocks in sharper contrast such as lime green and black, and black and white. (Photo: VivaAerobus)
In the framework of its 15th anniversary, VivaAerobus’s new uniform and appearance guidelines not only seek to launch a renewed image for the young and growing airline but also expresses the airline’s policy of non-prejudice in the skies. The airline in recent years has been promoting removing labels of gender expression and personal style.
The new uniform is less formal than the previous one. The uniform features bold color blocks in sharper contrast such as lime green and black, and black and white. There are also different look combinations, including silk scarves for women-identifying flight attendants and rolled-up sleeves for male-identifying flight attendants.
According to VivaAerobus the new uniform and appearance standards reflect the airline’s mission of security, authenticity and fun under the corporate philosophy of “VivaSerTú,” which translates to, “Live to be you.”
“(With the new uniform), the airline encourages the creation of positive experiences for passengers while leaving its mark as a young, fun airline with quality service,” a spokesperson from VivaAerobus said.
Following the likes of European low-cost carriers, VivaAerobus flight attendants will be wearing tennis shoes on the job. (Photo: VivaAerobus)
VivaAerobus’ new appearance policy for customer-facing staff in Mexico prioritizes freedom of expression, including tattoos and piercings. (Photo: VivaAerobus)
VivaAerobus’ new flight attendant uniforms prioritize efficiency over formal appearance. To spare flight attendants’ swollen legs from spending hours wearing heels, both male and female-identifying flight attendants can now trade their heels for tennis shoes. Following the likes of low-cost carriers in Europe, VivaAerobus has designed uniform white sneakers emblazoned with a lime green “V” for this purpose.
The airline is highlighting the use of tennis shoes, however female-identifying flight attendants will still have to option of wearing heels, but with a lower heel.
The new appearance standards for the low-cost carrier also give flight attendants more freedom of expression. The changes target different areas, including tattoos, makeup, piercings and nail polish. Regardless of gender, these personality features are all now allowed to be displayed prominently by customer-facing uniformed employees in Mexico.
Albert recently completed his undergraduate studies in Business Accounting at USC in Los Angeles and he is currently recruiting for a corporate analyst position at one of the U.S. legacy carriers. During his college years, he interned at LAX for Los Angeles World Airports working behind-the-scenes (and on the ramp) in public relations and accounting. Outside of writing for AirlineGeeks, he enjoys trekking the Hollywood hills, visiting new hotspots throughout SoCal, and doing the occasional weekender on Spirit Airlines.
