A Korean Air flight attendant, front row third from left, speaks during a press conference at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions headquarters in Seoul, Friday, to urge her employer to allow flight attendants to wear sneakers in the cabin. Newsis

Women flight attendants of Korean Air are urging their employer to allow them to wear sneakers in the cabin, ahead of a possible uniform change following the air carrier's takeover of Asiana Airlines, its smaller competitor.

During the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union press conference held on Friday, a day before International Women's Day on March 8, unionized cabin crew members of Korean Air and Asiana declared the launch of an online campaign calling for comfortable uniforms.

"Flight attendants in the cabin take over 15,000 steps a day and work on their feet for more than 14 hours," the unionized Korean Air flight attendants said in a statement. "However, our uniforms and shoes were designed without any consideration for our working environment."

They also refuted their employer's claim that uniforms show Korean Air's dignity, pointing out that an unhealthy and unsafe uniform cannot dignify the company.

"The safety of flight attendants is key to the safety of passengers," the cabin crew members said. "Korean Air should stop neglecting this issue."

Korean Air, however, noted that it had nothing to say about the matter as of now.

"We've been aware of their request, but it will take time to change our uniforms, as we have yet to complete the merger with Asiana," a Korean Air official said.

In 2008, when Korean Air founded Jin Air as its subsidiary, the budget carrier had its flight attendants put on jeans and sneakers in the cabin.

However, Jin Air eventually had its flight attendants wear dress shoes when it switched to business suit-style uniforms in 2019, following complaints about skinny jeans. At the time, its flight crew pointed out that jeans could threaten their health, as well as their safety, in case of a water landing.

Employees of Aero K Airlines wear the company's uniform at a mock-up cabin in this undated photo. Courtesy of Aero K Airlines

In 2021, Aero K Airlines drew attention here and overseas as the new low-cost carrier based in Cheongju International Airport introduced the so-called "genderless uniform," allowing its flight attendants to wear sneakers in cabins.

Foreign airlines have also followed the trend of allowing flight attendants to wear sneakers.

In May last year, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines started allowing its employees to wear sneakers under their uniform.

"In the past year, I have been able to test sneakers as a sustainable part of my uniform. After years of the classic look of pumps, I now wear sneakers with great pleasure! They give me a good start towards a good flight!" Willeke van den Boomgaard, senior purser of the Dutch airline, said in a press release.

In 2021, Ukraine's SkyUp Airlines also changed the dress code for its women flight attendants, allowing them to wear white sneakers and a loose suit with trousers.