If you step onboard a United Airlines flight today, you’ll see flight attendants and pilots in new Brooks Brothers uniforms. Ground staff also have new gear. This marks the culmination of an eight-year project to update crew uniforms and also marks the realpolitik of a new presidential administration.

United Airlines Debuts New Uniforms Today

In 2017, United Airlines announced it would update its crew uniforms. In 2019, it debuted the new uniforms on a trial basis. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and all plans to roll out new uniforms were placed on hold. In 2023, the testing resumed but the uniforms were redesigned based on negative flight attendant feedback. But at long last, the new uniforms debut today.

A memo from Kate Gebo, United’s Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations, to employees states:

“What you wear helps you perform your job with confidence, ease and comfort. It’s been a team effort to get to this point — 70 uniform ambassadors, 2,000 wear testers, five million yards of fabric and seven million buttons. Now is the time to show off alongside high-quality service without compromising safety, inclusivity and comfort.”

Ramp employees began wearing new uniforms in 2020, but United’s 56,000 customer service representatives, flight attendants, and pilots will start wearing the uniforms now, with the only exception being those flight crew members who are returning from a longhaul international trip that began before today.

The new uniforms come just days after United reached a tentative deal with flight attendants on a new contract.

> Read More: At Long Last, United Airlines Reaches Tentative Labor Deal With Flight Attendants

@whatislauren

Have you heard?! Our new uniform can be seen worn in the terminals on 5/28 can’t wait! @United Airlines *shot on closed set #unitedairlines #flightattendant #flightattendantlife #flightcrew #flightcrewlife #cabincrew #cabincrewlife #cabincrewgirls #airhostess #flightattendantuniform #uniform #airline #airlinetiktok #united #fypppp #cabincrewuniform

♬ original sound – Pretty girl

No Flags, New Language Bars

As the USA faces an anti-woke backlash (whatever that means…), United has made the policy decision to eliminate flag pins–other than the US flag–on pilot and flight attendant unfiroms. Palestinian flag pins had stirred intense controversy, and while United initially backed flight attendants who chose to wear such pins, it has since decided to restrict the usage of flag pins on uniforms.

But with the uniform update will come new language-qualified pins. For example, flight attendants who can speak Spanish will wear a “Yo hablo Español” pin directly below their wings and name bar. These language bars will be less ambiguous than flag pins and clearly identify what language(s) flight attendants can speak beyond English.

> Read More: United Airlines Bans Flight Attendants From Wearing Flag Pins, Except For US Flag
> Read More: Flight Attendant Sparks Outrage Over Palestinian Flag Pin

CONCLUSION

Look for new uniforms on United pilots, flight attendants, and gate agents starting today. While United has not shared every variation of the new uniforms with the public, you can get a better idea of what to expect by watching United’s latest safety video:

What do you think of the new United uniforms?