Yesterday, Japanese budget airline Skymark implemented its skimpy, controversial flight attendant uniforms for the first time. The Japanese media tried to get the scoop on the skirts in the skies. But what do you do when cameras aren't allowed?
Numerous news programs sent camera crews to record flight attendants as they walked through the airport and talked to passengers. Some passengers thought the outfits weren't suitable for work, while others seemed to enjoy them—or rather, oogling them.
TBS News, however, reports that there weren't any incidents during the flight.
While Skymark plans on rolling out the uniforms in May for a limited time, yesterday's implementation was a one-day event, Yoimuri adds.
FNN News tried to get Skymark's permission to film inside the cabin, while the plane was actually in flight (previously, Skymark held a photo op on a grounded plane). Unable to get the okay, an FNN staff member drew pictures of what he saw and described how the flight attendants seemed to be dealing with the uniforms. (You can watch the full report here.)
Here is the staffer drawing.
And his drawing of a flight attendant, with one hand keeping her dress from riding up and the other closing the overhead bin.
Dramatic pan.
The flight attendants appeared to be self-conscious about their outfits, especially when walking quickly and closing window shades.
It certainly seems like the uniform makes work more difficult. No wonder FNN reports that apparently 60 percent of the flight attendants were wearing black stockings.
Online in Japan, some commenters were critical of the uniforms—though, of course, there were those who said they now wanted to fly Skymark. The FNN sketches were a source of amusement, with commenters on 2ch and other blogs ironically calling them "great" or simply dubbing them "awful."
"The outfits are vulgar, like something you'd see at a cabaret club," wrote one commenter on Japanese site Kinisoku, adding that sooner or later there would be disagreement over a groping incident by a drunk passenger on the plane. Others wondered why the uniforms didn't have shorts under them, like tennis skirts.
Let's just wonder why Skymark is doing this. Oh right, publicity. Got it.
１日限定で超ミニ制服…スカイマーク、４路線で [Yomiuri]
スカイマークのミニスカ制服、スカートを片手で押さえて業務…記者の再現スケッチが凄いｗｗｗ [2ch]
「スカイマーク」ミニスカ新制服 [FNN News]
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