American Tells Flight Attendants To Not Wear Gloves So Often

American Airlines has updated its policy for flight attendants wearing gloves (and no, we’re not talking about white gloves, like in Emirates first class). Admittedly this is totally minor, but I’m writing about this because I have some opinions I need to share. 😉

American updates flight attendant glove policy

On American, it’s not uncommon to see flight attendants wearing nitrile gloves (the blue, rubbery ones). Some flight attendants wear them throughout the flight, some wear them only during trash pickup, and some don’t wear them at all.

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JonNYC flags how American has updated its policy for flight attendants wearing gloves. Effective immediately, flight attendants are only allowed to wear service gloves during trash pickup.

This policy comes at the same time that American is reducing the number of gloves that it provisions per flight, moves where in the cabin the gloves are stored (from the supply drawers to the coffee drawers), and changes glove suppliers.

I’m happy to see this policy change from American

I’d consider myself to be a mild, selective germaphobe — I wash my hands way more often than the average person, and I definitely notice the practices that I find to be sort of gross, but those things don’t impact my ability to function.

That brings me to a post I’ve been meaning to write for a long time (but I always pushed it off, because it seemed so minor), about my utter confusion at the glove use of some flight attendants.

I can understand why flight attendants might want to wear gloves during trash pick-up, because maybe they’re sometimes handling gross things.

But I find it confusing that some flight attendants wear gloves throughout service, and often don’t change them for extended periods of time. I’ve seen American flight attendants use the same gloves for service, closing the aircraft door, making announcements over the PA, eating their own meal, picking up trash, etc.

Admittedly science was never my strongest subject in school, but I don’t get it? Like, if you’re putting on gloves at the start of service when you’re pouring drinks and serving meals, what exactly is that supposed to accomplish?

I would hope that flight attendants are periodically washing their hands or sanitizing their hands between various activities, so that their hands are as clean as possible. Meanwhile just constantly wearing the same pair of gloves that get progressively dirtier as the service goes on seems… not great?

So anyway, the reduction in the number of gloves provisioned on American is a cost cutting exercise that I support, personally. 😉

Bottom line

American has told its flight attendants to stop wearing gloves so often, and to limit use of gloves to the trash pick-up service. This comes as American is switching glove suppliers, and reducing provisioning of gloves.

I’m a fan of this policy change, as I’ve never understood why some flight attendants wear gloves throughout the flight, seemingly often not actually changing them.

Am I the only one who notices the unusual glove use of some flight attendants?