Leather Jackets

[AMRCostUnit]

If you want to be respected like a professional airline pilot and "restore the prestige" of flying passengers for a living, wouldn't you want to dress like it? Wouldn't you want to keep some semblence of a crease in your starched white shirts, a tie on straight, jacket, etc.? Doesn't it sort of start there? Passengers do notice ... I can guarantee you that one.

It's not a profession anymore. Airline travel is a commodity. I have people say to me all the time "Gee, I didn't know we were on American. It was sooooo cheap!" AA happend to have the lowest fare that day and was at the top of their Expedia screen. They didn't care how creased my shirt was. My neighbors brag about flying another airline because it was 8 bucks cheaper; not because the pilots dressed better. Then before the flight they have a $12 burger and a $8 beer and a $4 Starbucks. AA carried about 91 million pax last year and if we got just $10 from each of them it would be a different story. As for the hat, I get mistaken for a skycap more often than recognized as a pilot .

I don't have a problem with leather jackets. I won't buy one while I am here at AA because AMR gets a royalty on each sale. I have contributed enough; NO more.

Unit

 

[Donsa320]

Hmmmmm, well, you see..... Sometimes, the beholder is an idiot. So you gotta factor that in too.

Yeah, well, I did factor that in....but airline pilots in leather jackets still look dorky even if I'm an idiot.
But thanks for allowing me to clear that up. <bg>

~DC

 

[BN2A]

Indy Air's jacket looks nice.
thanks

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...item=3966824320[/font]

 

[JetMonkey]

Yeah I agree, the leather doesn't look as professional as the blazer. HOWEVER I don't think it looks UNprofessional either. And I'll tell you "blazer lovers" something, button your **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** top button, whenever I wear my blazer I always button the top, so many guys walk around with the blazer unbuttoned and THAT to me looks unprofessional.

 

[CatYaaak]

Yeah I agree, the leather doesn't look as professional as the blazer. HOWEVER I don't think it looks UNprofessional either. And I'll tell you "blazer lovers" something, button your **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** top button, whenever I wear my blazer I always button the top, so many guys walk around with the blazer unbuttoned and THAT to me looks unprofessional.

Very true, unbuttoned top buttons look slovenly too when it's a uniform. Of course, there's plenty around that don't look like they're able to button the top button....or any button.

C'mon guys, when your belly blocks in at the gate 3 minutes before you do, it's time to see the tailor. Elastic and stretchy materials may be your saviour when not at work, but you're pilots, not Michelin Tire ad models. A well-tailored behemoth still displays a far more professional image and attitude to the flying public's eye than backpack-toting scootertrash or leather jacket dork.

 

[Thurman Merman]

Its not a hard concept if you wear the suit jacket button it. Like previously stated it looks sloppy when not buttoned. The most important rule when wearing the suit coat buttoned...

1) If two button coat button, I repeat only button the top button.

2) If three button coat you may button the top two buttons or the
middle button.

3) If coat size fit ten years ago then considered a visit to the tailor,
nothing worse than..."fat man in a little coat!"

 

[Tripower455]

As someone who wore the traditional dork jacket with London Fag, flasher overcoat for 10 years, and the leather jacket for the last 9, I will take the leather jacket any day of the week. My company gives us the option of wearing either, and about 95% of us choose the leather. Occasionally, you'll see a new guy or check airman sporting the dork look.

The leather is way more comfortable, practical and just looks better. Plus, if you're in a warm climate or deadheading incognito, you can stuff it in your rollaboard and not have to carry it or worry about wrinkles. I live in a warm climate, so I don't have to own another winter jacket, since the uniform leather jacket will suffice the few times a year I need one. Once the insignia etc is stripped off, it looks like any other leather jacket.

When I was hired by SWA, I was required to buy a dorky suit jacket. I wore it exactly once, jumpseating home from initial training (I didn't want it to get wrinkled in my bag in case I didn't get my leather one for my next trip). It has been hanging in my hall closet for over 9 years. Oh, my daughter wore it for halloween one year.

The London Fag flasher coat was nice for walking to the crashpad in MDW in the winter...... over the leather jacket!

 

[Mach 80]

What cracks me up is the airlines who "require" their pilots to wear hats, but 50% of them just carry them. Hurraay to the airlines who make wearing a hat optional.

 

[FlyChicaga]

Personal opinion only; I believe that only a certain percentage of pilots can really "pull off" the leather jacket. Those who take care of their jacket, and wear it properly. Many do not care of the jacket and it soon begins to wear out and look horrible. Also, some body types just do not fit the leather jacket. Or maybe it's just that the jacket isn't properly fitted. I'd suggest that if one does get the jacket, it is tailored to that specific person. I've seen jackets with sleeves that hang to peoples fingernails, with the elastic bottom below their bottom.

It's not necessarily that the leather jacket itself looks unprofessional. Maybe it's just that some of us are not wearing it, or caring for it, properly.

I wore the leather jacket at my previous carrier, and wasn't very fond of how it looked. But it was very convienient, particuarly on those freezing Wisconsin winter mornings before 5:00am in an airplane without an APU. So at my current carrier, I quickly got the leather jacket. I think it looks better, but it's lost its usefulness in ways since we board on jetways and have an APU or heat cart. The only times I've worn it is up to Canada, where the temperatures go deep into the negative, and we board via hardstand.

Someday I may very well sell my leather jacket, since I'm becoming very fond of the blazer combination. It just looks and feels much more professional, in my opinion.

 

[Rook]

As someone who wore the traditional dork jacket with London Fag, flasher overcoat for 10 years, and the leather jacket for the last 9, I will take the leather jacket any day of the week. My company gives us the option of wearing either, and about 95% of us choose the leather. Occasionally, you'll see a new guy or check airman sporting the dork look.

The leather is way more comfortable, practical and just looks better. Plus, if you're in a warm climate or deadheading incognito, you can stuff it in your rollaboard and not have to carry it or worry about wrinkles. I live in a warm climate, so I don't have to own another winter jacket, since the uniform leather jacket will suffice the few times a year I need one. Once the insignia etc is stripped off, it looks like any other leather jacket.

When I was hired by SWA, I was required to buy a dorky suit jacket. I wore it exactly once, jumpseating home from initial training (I didn't want it to get wrinkled in my bag in case I didn't get my leather one for my next trip). It has been hanging in my hall closet for over 9 years. Oh, my daughter wore it for halloween one year.

The London Fag flasher coat was nice for walking to the crashpad in MDW in the winter...... over the leather jacket!

This is a post that makes me want to work for SWA. It's good to see a sense of humor on the msg board from time to time. Thanks for the good post.

Rook
Looks like a high overcast.
Better ask for Type IV.