No More Hats at ExpressJet

[aewanabe]

I'm astounded to hear that an airline would allow hats on the flightline. You can get an article 15 for that in the Air Force. Sure, lookin good is a full time job, but then again how much does a jet engine cost?

Sorry, Jim, for my particular airline replace "allow" with "require". "Anytime a pilot is outside in view of the public, INCLUDING doing the preflight walk-around inspection yada, yada, yada.......the full uniform shall be worn including hat. " We generally don't do preflights with the engines running so that's not much of an issue. Regarding windy situations/FOD in general, well, if need be I've got a hand to help me hold onto the darn thing. Besides which, while my previous post was mostly tongue-in-cheek, I just don't see it as a big deal. Right now my company requires me to wear the stupid thing and it's no skin off my back to do so; if that changes, then it'll get left at home with the kneeboard, E6B, etc.

 

[Vortilon]

Hey, I like to wear TWO kneeboards. You know, redundancy.

 

[SWA GUY]

I had a one man hat burning party. I burned it, then I p!ssed on it!

Seriously though, if you think you need a hat to make you look professional, then you probably think new shoes make you run faster.

WTFO!

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

I am tired of hearing about stupid hats. "Customers like the professional look..blah, blah". All they care about are cheap tickets, a smooth ride, on-time arrivals, and a nice landing.

Tell the old lady in the back how professional you are because you are wearing a hat right after she sh*ts her pants because you shot a terrible approach and slammed it into the ground.

 

[Paul R. Smith]

I am tired of hearing about stupid hats. "Customers like the professional look..blah, blah". All they care about are cheap tickets, a smooth ride, on-time arrivals, and a nice landing.

Tell the old lady in the back how professional you are because you are wearing a hat right after she sh*ts her pants because you shot a terrible approach and slammed it into the ground.

I'm afraid I have to agree with mr. Sanchez here.

 

[cathal]

we have a rule at Mesaba that says you can show up up dressed in whatever you're wearing at the time, as long as it is more convienent for you to fly like that then delay the flight.
A buddy of mine was junior manned and showed up in shorts and sandals. I once showed up after "calling in honest" in cords and a polo. None of our passengers got off despite our unprofessional attire. I'm sure they all figured we were filling some sort of schedule gap and were happy we showed up to fly.
You really think they care if you have a hat on? The only difference between someone with a hat and one without is the hat. I could be wearing a hat so you'll think I'm a dork or because I am a dork. Either you can fly or you can't. The hat doesn't make any difference, and enought of us don't wear them now that the public no longer equates hats with position.

 

[agonyairfo]

Exec jet pilots are some of the best dressed pilots. They don't wear hats. I feel like a big goof in my oversized hat and one size fits all polyester uniform. Sky caps wear hats. CEO's don't. Burger flippers wear hats, professors and doctors do not. Additionally, with all these young pilots now (myself included) a hat makes you look like some kind of wannabe. It takes off about 5 years too. I feel like I am playing dress up.
Southwest's no hat policy has obviously taken its toll on passenger perception and subsequent ticket sales, right?
That being said, I would gladly wear a hat and button as many buttons as they could stuff on my blazer (Delta) if I could be a DC-8 or a Clipper captain back in the day with a crew of smoking southern belles in the back. Times have changed.
I would like a nice business type suit that fits well.
Sorry for rambling. Early show, couple of drinks yada...
While we are talking about hat usage and its impact on public perception, maybe it is time to ask what painting a classic 737 white and orange and slapping a big Hooters sign on the side makes the flying public think about us in general.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

But seriously. With everyone complaining about the low wages, and horrible QOL...you're honestly fighting management about wearing your hats?
Maybe you should put more time and energy negotiating higher pay or QOL, than about a hat you have to wear in view of the public.
I guess being an airline pilot these days, is all about a fashion contest to see who can look the "coolest"
IMHO

Back on track.... actually this is the point. There is no fight with management. The only input management has is indirect in that they want to get rid of that hat cause it makes pilots less unique. Nothing special about you, nothing special about your pay...

More time and money spent in negotiations is useless if the public and management thinks we are sloppy or not unique as pilots. This is the very point. Dress like you are worth 200K and you have a better chance of negotiating it. Or work rules or whatever is important to you...

Dress like a Flight attentant and gate agent....get paid closer to one...

We can easily control apperance and behavior....

I just don't get why pilots don"t want to present the image of...a Pilot.

What is this backlash about guys that want to wear hats are ego maniacs or on a power trip? The hat is a pain to wear but it is also a symbol. Are the anti hat group embarrassed to be pilots? Anyone with a pysc degree?

Give me a good reason not to wear the hats besides

I hate, burned it, pissed on it....
FOD bait

 

[Falconjet]

I think you have heard plenty of reasons against the hat. Put me in as another 20+ year military hat-wearing, right wing conservative old man who absolutely hates wearing a hat. I also don't think wearing the hat has any bearing on the public's perception of our professionalism. Plus, being a cargo weenie, the public very rarely sees me anyway.

I will say this, when I check my bags for a deadhead trip I only use the skycaps that wear hats, because I'm sure that they are more professional than those that don't.

Ok, that last part was sarcastic, if you couldn't tell, but the point should be obvious.

At FedEx the hat and service dress type jacket are both optional, and I think that is the way to go. I personally prefer the leather jacket and have seen guys look like slobs in the service dress jacket and the leather jacket. The individual can display their pride in themselves and their professionalism in whatever they are dressed in. Some doctors, nurses or PTs look quite dapper in their scrubs, others just look like slobs. Same thing.

My personal opinion is that the flying public really couldn't care less about whether you are wearing a hat or not.

And they say that ours is a country divided!

FJ

 

[Garf]

I choose to wear the hat because I am proud to be an " Airline Pilot".

The hat is part of the Airline Uniform.