Times change. Or sometimes certain big shots in a company are newer and want to “make their mark,” so they make some sort of change so they can say, “that’s mine.” And sometimes both of these things happen at the same time. Whatever the case, change happens.
SAS Unveils New Crew Uniforms
Scandinavian airline SAS recently unveiled the newest rendition of their crew uniforms, which will be worn by their staff of roughly 9,000 (both air and ground crew). The airline says that the new uniforms are meant to provide their passengers with a glimpse of Nordic aesthetics as well as, “a nod to the rich heritage of the carrier.”
A Modern, Inclusive Approach
The new styles were also created to reflect a modern, functional, inclusive and sustainable design.
Said SAS Chief People Officer Pernile Ormholt Vang, “Updating the uniform policy was a significant step forward in refreshing who we are as an airline. These changes reflect a more modern expression while maintaining our commitment to professionalism, safety, and care.”
A Step Toward Individuality
The new uniform features the inclusivity and individuality that the airline is promoting. That includes neutral items, optional sneakers, and allowances for visible tattoos and piercings for crew members to showcase their personalities, which were introduced last summer. It’s all part of the airline’s guideline changes as part of its commitment to create a modern, inclusive, and welcoming environment for its employees, to ensure that “everyone feels valued and welcome.”
How the Public is Reacting
The general response from outside the U.S. appeared to range from neutrality to happiness that the crew could wear something more comfortable. There were a couple of snarky comments here and there, but they seemed to be more about the actual uniform designs (“boring,” “unoriginal,” “very Scandinavian,” “the shoes look uncomfortable,” etc.) than anything else.
The U.S. Culture War Strikes Again
And then you have the U.S., which is still having a “battle against wokeness” (#rolleyes), where many Americans want to plant their feet firmly in the social norms of the mid-1950s for some reason. THEIR responses have mainly been about “inclusivity.”
- Uniforms for confused they/thems. (VftW)
- Complete nonsense. Go woke, go broke. These idiots will never learn. (FB)
- Trump thinking of banning SAS from flying into US because it violates his diversity ban ? (FB)
- “Inclusivity and individuality” Then why is a skirt still there? They can’t even understand what they’re doing yet advertise themselves to be politically correct. (VftW)
- No thank you. I’m a woman I would like a woman’s uniform. (FB)
Of course, SAS isn’t the first airline to allow their crew to reflect society and be themselves. Even in the U.S., United and Alaska Airlines have looser requirements for grooming now, and have introduced name tags with their employees’ preferred pronouns on them. And jetBlue has a gender-neutral uniform policy where flight attendants can pick from a combination of uniform pieces and wear whatever they feel the most comfortable with.
And, of course, with each of those changes, the “anti-woke weirdos” came out in full force, too. Probably even more than now, because they were ” ‘Murican” companies.
SAS Moves Forward, Regardless
Meanwhile, since SAS doesn’t care about what maladjusted, trolling Americans think about making their employees feel comfortable and welcome in their workplace, the new uniforms will be introduced this month and alongside the old ones during a yearlong transition.
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