British Airways is facing scrutiny after female employees were reportedly told to wear white bras and undergarments underneath their uniforms that were see-through.
“Undergarments should be plain white or nude, with no lace, patterns or writing,” the original order by airline management said, as first reported by The Sun.
Crew members told the outlet they were embarrassed after being asked “multiple questions” by passengers about their visible undergarments and threatened to stage a walkout without changes to the policy.
The new uniforms were announced in January after 20 years without modification, created by famed English fashion designer Ozwald Boateng. The uniform rolled out to employees in September and includes a semi-transparent blouse for women crew members.
An example of the new British Airways cabin crew uniforms that were announced in January 2023 (British Airways)
“Incredible that we found ourselves in the awkward position of having to discuss what underwear our female members were ‘allowed’ to wear in 2023,” the British Airways Stewards and Stewardess’ Union said to its members in a statement. “It could be argued that we wouldn’t have even been in this position if the blouse wasn’t transparent in the first place.”
British Airways confirmed to The Independent that they removed the undergarment guidance after pushback from the union.
“We’ve removed a recommendation from our uniform guidelines and will continue to listen to our colleagues about what works best for them,” the airline told the outlet.
Related: British Airways Serves ‘1 Piece’ of KFC to Hungry Passengers
The UK-based airline isn’t the first carrier to face backlash from employees over new uniforms.
Last month, four American Airlines employees were awarded over $1 million after a jury found their uniforms contained toxic chemicals that led to health problems including rashes, swelling, and trouble breathing.
British Airways did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur’s request for comment.
