Air NZ cuts wool outfits

The uniforms were launched at Fashion Week 2005.

Barely a year after Air New Zealand's glamorous launch of its new uniforms at Fashion Week, the airline has admitted the fine Merino wool fabric needs to go. And male cabin crew can breathe easy - they're getting a wider cut of trousers.

While the long-awaited, Zambesi-designed uniforms had a mixed reaction from staff, most agreed the fabric - in pale shades of schist, greenstone and teal - wasn't robust enough for the job.

After surveying staff to get reaction to the new uniform, Air New Zealand will look at a different fabric more resistant to creasing and staining.

Other changes include a wider cut of trousers for male staff and lightweight shirts; a wider range of knitwear and scarf designs, and the introduction of pin-on badges to accompany current magnetic badges.

Since the introduction of the uniforms, cabin crew have complained the fabric creases badly, stains easily and can't be sponged clean. That means staff are forking out to dryclean their uniforms more regularly than the $15 a fortnight allowance will allow.

Often staff on duty ran out of time to get their second uniform drycleaned. "I saw girls turning up with stains on their skirts. They give us aprons to wear but stuff still gets on your uniform."

By comparison, the old Barbara Lee-designed uniform could be sponged clean, hung in a steamy bathroom and was as good as new in the morning, he said.

While staff said they liked the look of the new uniform and the change was welcome, some stewards were dipping into their own pockets to have extra crotch space sewn into their new trousers. Flight attendants said the fine Merino fabric left nothing to the imagination, particularly as passengers' line of sight was aimed at the problem area when they were seated and the steward was standing. The solution was to either order the trousers a size too big or to have the correct size altered to give more room between the legs.

The flat design also made the trousers uncomfortable to sit in during rest periods on long-haul flights.

One former flight attendant said he spent $280 having his two uniforms altered to fit properly. Staff were given a $35 hem allowance. He also said the men's heavy cotton shirts caused them to sweat and so were unpleasant to wear on long-haul flights.

Company spokesman David Jamieson said the overall look of the uniform was well supported by staff.

Air New Zealand was always looking to improve the uniform and the company would continue to seek feedback from staff, he said. The changes would be introduced progressively.

"We expect to make enhancements and improvements to the uniform every six to nine months."

Jamieson would not reveal how much the fabric and uniform changes would cost.

Zambesi designers Elisabeth and Neville Findlay are being consulted about the changes. Neville Findlay said: "We know what's going on. There are functional things Air New Zealand wants to change and we're quite happy to work with them. They are functions that revolve around implementation."