The third generation uniform of China Eastern.[Photo provided to China Daily]
A look at the evolution of the uniforms at one of China's biggest airlines, China Eastern
Pan Jianfen may now be part of the management team at China Eastern Airlines, but she still relishes serving passengers from time to time because it gives her a chance to don her uniform.
"The uniform seems to have a magical power, because I feel energetic the moment I wear it, regardless of how exhausted I was before," said Pan, a deputy general manager of the light catering department.
"A foreign passenger once asked why I was always looking so happy. I told him that I'm happy whenever I can bring happiness to my passengers through my work.
A group photo of China Eastern Airlines' flight attendants wearing uniforms from different periods.[Photo provided to China Daily]
In fact, Pan still has the three generations of uniforms that she wore throughout her 30-year career. She occasionally takes them out from the drawer under her bed to reminisce about the good times.
China Eastern Airlines, one of China's three major airline companies that has been ranked seventh in the world since 2016, has had five generations of uniforms since the first one was introduced in 1957.
The first iteration of the uniform was a dark blue suit that looked similar to military uniforms. In 1979, just months after China opened up its doors to the world, the airline redesigned its uniform as the civil aviation sector was given more freedom to manage itself. This second generation uniform was sky blue and was worn with a white shirt featuring large lapels, trousers and a lat top cap.
In 1986, the airlines launched its third generation uniform, comprising a navy blue overcoat, jacket, white shirt, and a stylish knee-length skirt.
The fourth generation of China Eastern uniforms was designed by French brand Christian Lacroix.[Photo provided to China Daily]
An era of change
As China's civil aviation industry entered a high-speed development phase in the 1990s, aviation companies started to diversify their uniforms. For China Eastern, this was the first time its light attendants wore different uniforms according to the seasons.
"As a flight attendant back in the 1980s and 1990s, lying by air is such a rare experience, and passengers were so curious about the journey that they often forgot their need for service," said Pan.
This was true for Qin Ling, who took his first airplane ride from Shanghai to Hangzhou of Zhejiang province in 1992 during a trip organized by his junior middle school. The trip cost him 30 yuan ($5.5) and lasted just 30 minutes.
"I still remember that there was no boarding bridge, and we had to take the shuttle bus to the aircraft," said Qin, who said the only disappointment was the short duration of the light.
"To be honest, we passengers did not even know what we required for service, not to mention the difference between first class and economy class. All we cared about was whether the light could get us to our destination on time."
Western-style meals dominated the in-flight menus during the 1990s. The most typical meals comprised butter and bread, coffee and orange juice.
Zhu Jiewei, a Shanghai-based entrepreneur, took his first light in 2001 when he traveled from Shanghai to Sydney to further his studies.
"The double-aisle A340 was very crowded, and the stewards were rather shy, especially in comparison with those from Qantas who were more passionate and proactive," said Zhu, who is now a China Eastern gold card member.
In September 2001, China Eastern launched its fourth generation uniforms. Featuring the auspicious color purple, these uniforms were inspired by traditional Chinese wear and had local Shanghai elements infused into them, creating a stylish mix of modernity and heritage.
In 2005, Zhu noticed that the uniforms were not the only thing that changed at the airline.
"I fly a lot due to my work. Although I sat in economy class, I found that the China Eastern light attendants were smiling a lot more in their new uniforms, and I was constantly greeted. What was even more surprising was the quality of the food. It was actually pretty good," he said.
Zhu added that he was also impressed by the new level of attentiveness displayed by the flight crew. For instance, he was once pleasantly reminded that it was his birthday after light crew sent him their well-wishes. On another occasion, the stewardess helped to take his temperature when he was having a fever.
In the eyes of Qin, who is now a platinum member of China Eastern, 2009 was a watershed year for China Eastern as the carrier became a completely different entity following a major reform.
"The old aircrafts were replaced with new ones, and the service became so much more intricate and attentive," he said.
To improve its services, the carrier ordered 20 Boeing 777 aircraft in April 2012. With the introduction of these new jet models in the coming years, China Eastern has also reined its service offerings to meet customers' growing expectations.
The latest generation of China Eastern uniforms was launched in May 2013. Designed by French brand Christian Lacroix, the navy blue uniform features a traditional elegance and auspicious Chinese elements such as clouds, knotting and a red belt.
As one of the most visible elements of any airline, the uniform must strike a balance between being attractive and practical. Bao Mingxin, a fashion culture research professor from Donghua University's fashion and design school in Shanghai, said that China Eastern's uniforms have always fulfilled both aspects.
"Unlike fashion clothes, uniforms are focused on practicality as service is more important than looking good," he noted.
"The latest uniform is a good combination of Western and Chinese styles. It expresses Chinese sentiment in an international way very well," said Bao.
From military-style uniform to a designer look, uniforms of flight attendants of China Eastern Airlines have undergone huge improvements through the past decades, in tandem with the fast development of China's civil aviation.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Into the future
This year, which marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, China Eastern is looking to ramp up its globalization efforts with the procurement of its first A350-900 and B787-9 flagship models that are equipped with next-generation cabin service systems.
China Eastern, which serves more than 400,000 passengers across the world on a daily basis, lies more than 120 million air travelers to 1,074 destinations in 174 nations and regions every year. The Shanghai-based carrier operates the world's second largest and Asia's largest Airbus fleet which comprises nearly 700 aircraft, including more than 360 Airbus jets.
Currently, all the wide-body aircraft from China Eastern are equipped with the next-generation in-light Wi-Fi.
Li Wenli, who joined China Eastern in 1987 and was a trainer for the carrier's Lingyan cabin crew training center in 2012, said she is extremely proud that China Eastern is operating one of the newest fleets in the world. The planes now have an average operation period of just 5.39 years.
"As light crew, we are the bridge that brings goodwill and kindness to our passengers. No matter how our meals and products have changed, the spirit of our service is still the same. We are willing to serve our passengers in any condition," said Li.
She said that the service staff also goes the extra mile to make travelers feel at home during a light. For example, the crew makes it a point to let long-distance light travelers wake up to the scent of coffee or porridge, or to the sounds of pleasant music.
For first class and business class passengers, food can be provided at any time and within a minute, regardless of whether it is dumplings, sandwiches, or scallion oil noodles.
"Believe it or not, our cabin crew has continuously developed new flavors of cocktails by themselves, and the most popular ones are our own concoctions, 'Young' and 'Virgin' mojitos," added Pan. According to her, cocktail service for first class and business class passengers started in 2005.
The airline also provides sleepwear for business class passengers who are on long-haul lights. After realizing that the previous version of the pajamas were not well-received by the passengers, the airline changed them to sportswear. The new clothes have been so well-liked that many passengers even keep them for their personal use after the light.
"I love to provide cabin service to passengers. It is not just about the blue skies - we don't have time to look out of the window and admire the sky when we are at work. What I cherish the most is that small, intimate space where we get to serve people. I will miss that when I retire," said Pan.
