Dress Code!

I'm a firm believer in dressing for flights. It's not an upgrade thing, it's not a snobbish thing it's just something I've always been brought up with... "don't go out in public looking like a slob!"

On the other hand I often rue this belief as I'm always having to take off my shoes (always bloomin' lace ups!) or too many clothes through security, which is a pain, and then finding storage for jackets (unless in PE/UC) is sometimes an issue (more domestic that international).

I was wondering what people felt a dress code should be, if any, when flying as you often see two distinct groups... travellers like me and then travellers who dress for comfort and don't care what they look like!

I also wonder if this applies to the Club House? On many carriers you can't access the lounges in sports attire (like Football shirts) or shorts and wondered if VS carried the same type of ruling.

JC.

I am with you. It shocks me to see how some people show up for flights!

And may I add... people need to take baths. Nothing worse than sitting next to someone who has BO!

Even on my VS flight, in PE, I found it to be a problem.

When I go on a flight, I don't wear a suit, but I do try and make myself presentable. I think one can wear comfortable clothes, and still dress well.

I do not look at it is a snob thing either, just plain common courtesy!

I do see your point but the way i think is if it's comfortable wear it.

I'm one of these people who wear's combat's, T shirt and trainers on a flight and still got a double UG to UC ok i did have a few funny look's from one guy in the cabin but hey we all cant afford armani clothes.

I'm luck not to have experienced a person with odder problems next to me on a flight yet, but one way to combat it would be for the airlines to employ a guy who stands by the toilet and he gives you a spray when you come out just like to ones you get in night club's:D

Cheers


phil

I agree on the bath thing... reminds me of one of my last LHR to BOS flights... here is the thread.

http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2735

JC.

I'd agree about being clean and low odour (personal and perfume, cologne etc) out of consideration for your fellow passengers. Clothes wise, my main priority is being comfortable. While I tend to restrict 'scruffy' for inside my own four walls, I have travelled in UC in jeans.

Ultimately, I think views on what passes muster in the clothes line and what doesn't come down to personal opinion, and if I don't like or approve of what someone is wearing there's plenty of othert hings to look at

[buns]

JC

I share your view on dress - I am always "smart casual" rather than suit & tie. That said, I never have any difficultly with what others wear (as long as it is decent and clean!!) and peggitt strikes an important cord about comfortablity.

I just happen to feel "comfortable" with samrt casual - perhaps its a generation thing[:I][:I]

buns

This is a pet hate of my mother who first flew in the early 50's when it was very much an occassion - she worked for BOAC. She is shocked when she sees the way people turn up for flights nowadays.

Personally I'm a little more relaxed although I draw the line at smelly or dishevelled passengers. My thought is clean and tidy - according to the location and airline.

Smells should be picked up by security - "Sir can I ask you a few security questions - When did you last change / shower etc." - Maybe use sniffer dogs.

Phil (Buffy)

[Decker]

I suspect as has been mooted there is a slight generational aspect at work here. Given my druthers I'd happily travel in sweat pants and a sweat shirt (after all what is a sleep suit exactly?) but Mrs D tends to prefer me to wear something closer to smart casual. Of course if I'm hoping for an opup all bets are off . I can sort of see the "consideration for other passengers" argument but in my mind that line pretty much ends at being clean and not behaving obnoxiously. As his Eminemship opines on "Rainman" "You find me offensive? I find you offensive for finding me offensive"...

Perhaps there should be a "last chance" duty free perfume shop at the gate.

FAs can offer "selected" passengers a free sample. Maybe there could be a vote section on V:Port to identify who the selected passengers should be...

Now this is interesting- I personally think that people should travel smartish casual!I guess it depends on age though- I'm a young 20 something and quite often a younger person can be more casual but still having that smart look- for example jeans and an abercrombie dress shirt.My father does travel smart as does my mother.

Although it depends on age and where your flying to! If it was a b+s route then i think more casual is accepetable. For children flying it should be comfort, i was once saw 2 young children say around 7 dressed up in blazzer, shirt and tie on a 13 hour flight- i felt so sorry for them as they looked so uncomfortable, nothing can be worse for them!

So smart casual althoug h i can understand the casual element- nothing worse than being uncomfortable in Y on a long flight.

I'll generally dress a little bit better if I know I'm flying UC (or hoping to upgrade to UC at the very least) but a suit and Tie would be too much for me. I'm very unlikely to have a meeting soon after touching down and my kind of meetings wqouldn't require that dress code anyway.

Normally smart cords or jeans, polo shirt and trainers for me.

Dean

The Cat is very scruffy (the Kitten is always neatly turned out). On Caribbean flights he is usually to be found in T-shirt, shorts and battered sandals, which makes a change from the be-blazered pensioners that seem to constitute the bulk of passengers up the front.

Frankly, given that I have bought the ticket I feel I can wear what the hell I want.

BC

My Mum & Dad made me dress in a blazer & smart shirt/trousers for my first ever flight (to Tenerife in 1980) and I absolutely hated it. Then when I started getting the charters with "t'lads" to Benidorm, Ibiza, etc..., it was football shirt, denim shorts & trainers!

These days, whatever class of travel it is, I usually wear a pair of clean jeans (smartish), a nice shirt and clean shoes - as long as I'm comfortable and don't look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards, then that's fine by me

Cheers

Michael

[HighFlyer]

I dress smart for flights, but thats my style, i prefwer to dress smart as opposed to casual anyway.

I am also sometimes surprised how some UC pax arrive for their flights, although, those passengers have paid for their flights so they are entitled to dress however they like. I was considering buying a nice Juicy Couture tracksuit for travelling, its a nicely cut designer piece but i would feel a little underdressed wearing it on the plane, especially on an UC flight.

I guess its all dwn to personal choice.

I would much rather be sat next to a scruffy individual than one of those hoity toity types who are well dressed but rude as anything.

Incidentally - when I was growing up we did a lot of our travel using staff travel on BOAC/BA and Pan Am. They all had fairly strict dress codes for travelling staff, which I grant you became a little more relaxed in the 80s/90s.

Maybe one of the VS Staffers can enlighten us on any staff travel dress codes that are currently in place.

Also - With BA I thought that at check you were classified as "suitable for upgrade" based on appearance - is this/was this true and is there something similar on VS - from previous comments I assume not.

Phil (Buffy)

[fozzyo]

quote:Originally posted by BuffyTVS65
Also - With BA I thought that at check you were classified as "suitable for upgrade" based on appearance - is this/was this true and is there something similar on VS - from previous comments I assume not.

Thats the kind of thing that really winds me up, I know why they do it - particularly an airline like BA, but if I was to turn up with a red mohawk or similar hairstyle I'd instantly be ruled out. Its just one of those pet hate things I have ... good job I work in Marketing and people are used to / expect me to have mad hair.

But going back to the original question, flight dress code for me one thing rules over everything else - comfort. So its usually jeans, trainers and t-shirt. But as had been said still looking tidy - not a complete mess. Footwear comes off as soon as I have settled into my seat. If I have a later in the day flight I will take a small foot spray to freshen them up a bit.

Have to say even if I was getting off a plane to a formal meeting which required more formal attire I would probably take clothes to change into at the airport. Flight would be more comfortable and I would look / feel better when arrived for meeting.

Foz )

For Me it depends on why im traveling ie Business or Pleasure.

If I'm not on business I'll wear smart confortable clothes, that are loose.

Theres noting worse than wearing a suit for 12 hrs

Also I dont think it affects you chances of op up that much. Obviously looking presentable helps; but I dont think formal wear is needed

I think the issue of dress and suitability for upgrade must, at least in part, reflect the culture of the airline. I'd imagine that this is less of an issue at VS, which has a much more relaxed culture and image than, say, BA. I can well see that looking as if you'd been sleeping on the streets for the last week might make check-in staff wary of upgrading you, but I'd guess that jeans wouldn't. And with so much of an upgrade decision resting on things like FC status, they already know more about what kind of traveller you are than they can tell from your clothes. Plus, of course, we all know that people wearing suits can be lound, obnoxious, drunk etc. and people wearing jeans can be model passengers.

[fozzyo]

I think SRB's choice of clothing neatly sums up Virgin's attitude to such matters. And also there has been a culture shift as has been mentioned over the years. We aren't in the days of Radio presenters wearing Dinner Jackets and the early days of transatlantic flight when it was very much style and glamour, not to mention lycra.

Foz )

[HighFlyer]

I guess that with UC at least you can change straight into your sleepsuit when you get on board, and you dont look odd or out of place as the majority of others are wearing them.

PE is the cabin with the issue. I usually travel in PE and dont have the luxury of sleepsuit but still want to look smart - i just dont want to sit in a smart outfit for 10 hours! LOL

I usually carry a sleep suite in my hand luggage..so if im not upgraded from PE I dont have to sleep in my clothes (on an O/N flight at least!!)

If you dont have one you can get them on ebay etc..

[Decker]

Or at the next social I'm sure Jonathan

SQ sell their sleepsuits via the Duty Free catalogue, I noted.

It's interesting to see the differences in opinion on this subject. I like the ideas of buying a sleep suit if in PE (mental note: check eBay!) that way my smart casual clothes don't get completely creased!

I'm also glad that people share my views on personal hygiene. To be honest I'm not too bothered by what people wear it's more about how they affect me on my flight; it's easy to shut your eyes, it's not as easy to stop breathing!

As for upgrading people based upon attire, I must admit I've been told about this by a BA employee so when I used to fly BA it was almost essential to wear smart clothes (no tie but you know what I mean!) and it helped me twice (I account for this as I was only a Blue card on BA). I also agree it's the culture of the airline.

From commentary from Gold Card members it would appear that the Club House doesn't care what people wear. Is this true??

JC.

I dont consider hygiene Dress code but I agree everyone has a responsibility to fly clean!

I ALWAYS shower in the clubhouse as
a) im as clean as I can be
b) stray hairs are itchy on a long flight after a haircut

Also if im in UC the toilets have aftershave etc in them and some facial revitaliser.

I use both (in moderation) in flight to stay fresh.

Sleepsuits are great esp on nightflights; your day clothes still feel fresh the next day. VS let you keep them so I have a few kicking about.

As Decker said there might be a few in the Raffle at the next social, def worth a ticket!

Ive worn various clothing in the clubhouse with no issues.
Again I think its polite to be smart, but not neccessarily formal