LAS Gate Agents Wearing Jeans
- Thread starter US1YFARE
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ClueByFour
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I know exactly why they are wearing jeans, because my Fortune 250 employer does the same thing during our United Way drive.
With that said, I'm sure there are people that might not know it's connected to the United Way drive, although it stands to reason that many places do "jeans on Friday" from time to time.
Seatacus
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How about this for casual dress??????
careerfurloughee
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How about this for casual dress??????
Hooters Air already went tango uniform. LOL
Kev3188
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I vote for nothing but "steel-toes-and-a-smile" on the ramp.
Phoenix, Mesa..pretty arid land..desert?
Prince of PAWOBs
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I'm with US1. It looks out of place when you're on duty.
Seatacus
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Customers who put their trust in you to deliver them safely to their destination I don't believe want casualness. Flying can be an anxiety ridden experience even under the best conditions. Showing the customer that you are serious about their safety and accommodation sometimes requires at least an appearance of profesionalism. What better way to show this than to wear something other than tailgating attire.
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ditto.
But it is not the way of the west. Today I saw a man wearing sandals at the hangar. I cannot help but wonder what goes through people's minds as they dress in this manner for work.
Is it any wonder that no one is treated professionally?
The other day we arrived at the gate and an agent, I assume he was an agent, was behind the counter in casual dress and another man was in uniform. Nobody wanted to speak to the guy dressed casual as they did not identify him as an agent. Standing at the door waiting for them to let us down, we noticed that customers dismissed the casual dressed man and verified whatever it was he told him with the one in uniform.
A gentleman out of uniform opened my door the other day and I asked him who he was and why he was opening my door. LOL, ID please.
For me, it looks unprofessional and gives the impression that we are understaffed and people are filling in at positions. We are conditioned to expect agents, pilots, FAs, etc., to dress a certain way and when they do not then we immediatly question their abilities.
A gentleman out of uniform opened my door the other day and I asked him who he was and why he was opening my door. LOL, ID please.
For me, it looks unprofessional and gives the impression that we are understaffed and people are filling in at positions. We are conditioned to expect agents, pilots, FAs, etc., to dress a certain way and when they do not then we immediatly question their abilities.
Many companies allow casual dress, including jeans. However, these are typically BACK OFFICE employees. That is - those who don't have a job that requires face to face customer interaction.
If you want to go casual, then fine. Make it a consistent attire, though. Khakis and polo shirts for the hot weather, and long sleeve button downs for the cooler climates. You wouldn't be the first airline to do this.....
It's funny that airline employees have complained about what passengers wear in First class, but they're the first to want to come to work in jeans and a t-shirt themselves.
If you want to go casual, then fine. Make it a consistent attire, though. Khakis and polo shirts for the hot weather, and long sleeve button downs for the cooler climates. You wouldn't be the first airline to do this.....
It's funny that airline employees have complained about what passengers wear in First class, but they're the first to want to come to work in jeans and a t-shirt themselves.
marco90821
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Jeans, t-shirts, etc are just plain unacceptable attire for frontline, or even backoffice employees, to be wearing. Jeans are no more comfortable than a pair of khakis, in fact tight jeans are very uncomfortable. I never got the thing with employees being so excited to wear jeans to work. Don't you have enough opportunity to wear these things on your time off?
Breath_of_Fresh_USAirways
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What a bunch of "Holier than though" cr*p I've been reading... It appears that NONE OF YOU have ever worked as a gate agent...
First, an airline is supposed to be safe. What does a Gate Agent wearing jeans have to do with not being safe?
Second, an airline is supposed to be reliable, i.e. "on-time" -- Again, what does wearing jeans have to do with on-time performance?
In fact, wearing jeans may be safer for many agents without the encumberance of ill-fitting uniform pieces or other interference from uncomfortable garments. And the same goes for on-time performance -- Back when I was a gate agent, I wore sneakers. I worked at an out-station that was consistently staffed to the minimum. Many evenings, I was the only person qualified to operate the jet bridge. In those days (security wasn't an issue), I would dock the bridge at 1 a/c, go quickly down the outdoor steps, across the ramp, and up the steps of a 2nd jet-bridge to dock or un-dock a second aircraft. This simply was not possible in any other footwear -- that I could afford -- and the company would not buy me steel-toed boots. If I had "uniform" shoes on, I could not use the steps and we risked a late arrival/departure. The station manager agreed with me and I was allowed to wear sneakers as long as they were fairly clean, white/blue, with no broken shoe laces (for safety). No, this was not the best thing to do, but it worked well for all involved. I never, ever had a passenger comment on my footwear -- ever -- to me or management or in writing or anything. Good, bad, nothing. Other employees, yes. But never a passenger. I don't think they really cared as long as I provided the very best customer service to each and every one of them.
And I'm sure ANY gate agent would prefer a 1/2 day or full day off - with pay -- for contributing to the United Way. However, their positions would have to be covered -- either with severe understaffing (everyone would contribute just to get time off with pay!) or at an added expense to the company, so in reality, that's just not feasible. So, the company has found a way to thank the employees for contributing. In a way that is meaniful to the employee without added expense for the company -- and I commend them.
After safety and reliability, the only thing any passenger should be concerned with is good customer service -- which can be provided while wearing jeans. Is it the "best" way to present an "image"? Certainly not. But as a reward for being generous and giving and concerned about somebody other than yourself, I see no problem in allowing an employee to wear jeans once a year or one week a year.
First, an airline is supposed to be safe. What does a Gate Agent wearing jeans have to do with not being safe?
Second, an airline is supposed to be reliable, i.e. "on-time" -- Again, what does wearing jeans have to do with on-time performance?
In fact, wearing jeans may be safer for many agents without the encumberance of ill-fitting uniform pieces or other interference from uncomfortable garments. And the same goes for on-time performance -- Back when I was a gate agent, I wore sneakers. I worked at an out-station that was consistently staffed to the minimum. Many evenings, I was the only person qualified to operate the jet bridge. In those days (security wasn't an issue), I would dock the bridge at 1 a/c, go quickly down the outdoor steps, across the ramp, and up the steps of a 2nd jet-bridge to dock or un-dock a second aircraft. This simply was not possible in any other footwear -- that I could afford -- and the company would not buy me steel-toed boots. If I had "uniform" shoes on, I could not use the steps and we risked a late arrival/departure. The station manager agreed with me and I was allowed to wear sneakers as long as they were fairly clean, white/blue, with no broken shoe laces (for safety). No, this was not the best thing to do, but it worked well for all involved. I never, ever had a passenger comment on my footwear -- ever -- to me or management or in writing or anything. Good, bad, nothing. Other employees, yes. But never a passenger. I don't think they really cared as long as I provided the very best customer service to each and every one of them.
And I'm sure ANY gate agent would prefer a 1/2 day or full day off - with pay -- for contributing to the United Way. However, their positions would have to be covered -- either with severe understaffing (everyone would contribute just to get time off with pay!) or at an added expense to the company, so in reality, that's just not feasible. So, the company has found a way to thank the employees for contributing. In a way that is meaniful to the employee without added expense for the company -- and I commend them.
After safety and reliability, the only thing any passenger should be concerned with is good customer service -- which can be provided while wearing jeans. Is it the "best" way to present an "image"? Certainly not. But as a reward for being generous and giving and concerned about somebody other than yourself, I see no problem in allowing an employee to wear jeans once a year or one week a year.
