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Korean Air likely to scrap 57-year sneaker ban for flight attendants

Published: 22 Apr. 2026, 17:32 Updated: 22 Apr. 2026, 18:47

KIM JI-YE
[email protected]

Korean Air flight attendants are seen walking at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 26, 2020. [NEWS1]

Korean Air attendants might finally be allowed to wear comfortable sneakers during in-flight duty hours as the airline mulls scrapping a 57-year policy mandating that cabin crew wear heeled shoes.

The airline is reviewing changes to its dress code through consultations with its labor union, aiming to allow cabin crew to wear sneakers or other functional footwear during in-flight duties, according to the airline industry on Tuesday.

“We are working on introducing work shoes designed with safety and functionality in mind for in-flight service,” a Korean Air official told the Korea JoongAng Daily.

If implemented, the changes are expected to apply to Asiana Airlines cabin crew as well, as the carrier is now a subsidiary of Korean Air. Previously, Korean Air flight attendants were required to wear heels measuring 3 to 5 centimeters (1.18 to 1.9 inches) in height.

The move comes amid a broader shift in the airline industry, both in Korea and overseas, toward easing strict appearance policies for cabin crew.

In Korea, dress codes, particularly for female attendants, have traditionally been stringent, based on the belief that appearance reflects an airline’s brand image. Regulations have covered details such as skirt length, earring size and material, nail color, hairstyle and even makeup.

In 2019, Jeju Air was reported to have more than 20 appearance guidelines for female cabin crew, compared to just three for male cabin crew.

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines cabin crew pose for a photo on Jan. 14 as Asiana began operations at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Female flight attendants were required to wear only tight, knee-length skirts, which were often criticized for limiting mobility despite their role in ensuring passenger safety. Pants were allowed only beginning in 2013, after the National Human Rights Commission of Korea urged airlines to revise the policy. Glasses, once prohibited, were permitted by Korean Air in February of this year.

Low-cost carriers have led the change in footwear. Jeju Air provided sneakers to all cabin crew in February, while Aero K Airlines adopted sneakers as official work shoes at its launch in 2020.

Cabin crew have long called for reforms, arguing they are not “flowers to be looked at but are working people.”

“Female workers in passenger service roles, including cabin crew, are required to wear uncomfortable high-heeled shoes while on duty,” a labor union official said at a March 7 press conference marking International Women’s Day. “Given the safety responsibilities of cabin crew, this is not an essential requirement for their work. It is merely a regulation based on gender norms of ‘neat appearance’ imposed by the company solely because they are women.”

Overseas airlines have also begun making similar changes. Japan’s JAL Group allowed cabin crew to wear sneakers on duty starting last November, while China’s Air Travel scrapped its high-heel policy to reduce physical strain and enhance stability and safety.

Alongside the footwear changes, Korean Air is also pushing ahead with uniform improvements, in consultation with its labor union.

“We are focusing on structural and functional enhancements to improve comfort and ease of movement,” the Korean Air official said.

BY KIM JI-YE, SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]