PLAY is the name of Iceland’s new low cost carrier, which will be launching operations later this month. The airline will initially fly between Iceland and points in Europe, and eventually plans to also operate to North America.
The airline is making very nice progress towards launching operations, and has now revealed both its livery and uniforms. I’m really impressed.
In this post:
PLAY’s first painted A321neo revealed
PLAY will launch with a fleet of three Airbus A321neos, and the first plane is just being painted. With the airline launching operations in just over a week, there’s not much time left to get the plane ready for service. It looks like the first plane is currently finishing getting its new paint job.
PLAY chose a bold livery, as it’s not often you see a plane painted fully in red. The livery really stands out, and I’m kind of surprised by how much I like it — I think it looks really good, especially with the big and modern white “PLAY” logo.
PLAY’s employee uniforms revealed
PLAY has also revealed its extremely casual employee uniforms. As the airline describes it, the “new uniforms belong to a new era of cabin crew uniforms.” The airline tried to “throw out all those old ideas about airline uniforms and bring in more comfort.” The uniforms have relaxed fits, stretchy fabrics, and shoes meant for working on your feet.
PLAY states that the new uniforms encompass the carrier’s core values — simplicity, playfulness, competitiveness, equality, and on-time performance. Okay, I’m totally onboard with that, but how exactly do uniforms “encompass” a good on-time performance?
It’s stated that the uniforms aren’t gender specific, so crews can wear whatever they’d like. That’s awesome. Equally awesome is that the airline won’t have any rules for employees regarding hair, make up, tattoos, or nail polish, so employees can express themselves how they’d like.
I’ve gotta be honest, I really dig these uniforms, and what they stand for. Yes, the uniforms are super casual, but this is going to be a transatlantic low cost carrier, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I also like that they’re not just trying to be casual while still having all kinds of outdated rules, but rather they’re going to let employees be themselves as much as possible.
Bottom line
PLAY will be launching operations as of July 15. The airline will likely be similar to the former WOW Air (given the business model and people behind it), though hopefully it’s managed a bit more realistically.
Purely stylistically, I really like what I’m seeing from PLAY. I like the red livery a lot more than I was expecting to. PLAY also has the most casual flight attendant uniforms we’ve possibly ever seen, and I think they look great. I also love that the airline won’t have any restrictions around hair, make up, tattoos, nail polish, etc.
What do you make of PLAY’s livery and uniforms?
I couldn't agree more. There is a high level standard of appearance and conduct that all forward facing airline professionals must maintain. Flight crews are a qwerky and interesting group of individuals; I mean that in a good way. They know how to have a great time and do it in a dressed, pressed image that demands trusting their skill and knowledge about safety. Employees, should be their best selves while representing a company and...
I couldn't agree more. There is a high level standard of appearance and conduct that all forward facing airline professionals must maintain. Flight crews are a qwerky and interesting group of individuals; I mean that in a good way. They know how to have a great time and do it in a dressed, pressed image that demands trusting their skill and knowledge about safety. Employees, should be their best selves while representing a company and profession. That means leave your nose rings at home, cover tattoos, make up on , hair up and neat, and shoes that are not for the gym. You can't take someone seriously or respected as much if they don't look like they take it seriously. I'm all for a more modern appearance that keeps with a standard of professionalism.
Worst Uniforms ever. What a unprofessional look.
The uniforms do not look professional at all- they would look more suitable at a playground. One of the reasons uniforms should look professional is that in an emergency, passengers need to follow commands. Imagine a 19 year old dressed like that shouting evacuate, evacuate, evacuate. How many people would think this is some uni student having a bit of fun? I’ll give it one positive comment: they are significantly better looking than the old US Airways track suits.
Unfortunately in the current travel climate, authority figures are needed onboard to maintain some semblance of peace and decorum. In which case, some form of business attire for the FAs would serve this purpose. The Play FA uniforms won't convey control and authority.
Does anyone actually care about the uniforms of an airline that no reader here is actually going to fly. You people really do like to complain about everything. This airline could offer one free flight to every reader of the blog and you lot would still complain about it.
This flight attendants' uniforms remind me a lot of Joon's uniforms.
Is this SponCon? I love your work, Ben, but this reads like a press release.
I don’t get the argument about one needs to look “professional” to be good at their job. Yes, certain clothes may subconsciously change how one behaves, but there is no need to require suit and dress for that. I remember how my previous boss didn’t like that I wore Jeans to an interview. He didn’t care about my work ethic, mindset, or how good/bad I was at my job and this was after I had been working for him for over 8 months. Its just snobby and pretentious
JOON once tried the concept of white sneakers and the airline failed :)
"Equally awesome is that the airline won’t have any rules for employees regarding hair, make up, tattoos, or nail polish, so employees can express themselves how they’d like."
It's awesome until someone sports a neck swastika tattoo.
Livery: Looks good! Uniforms: lack consistency, the variant with the grey sweaters looks really cheap, like something you would give to volunteers who help out for a day.
Whenever I fly, I am always in business or first and generally look nice. No running shoes or track bottoms or shirts with team names on them. This is the passenger attendant's office and a certain level of appreciation of this is appropriate. I hold my employees to the same standard. I don't like the informality of these uniforms. It does not evoke any sense of pride in their workplace. Plus, it make that stewardess...
Whenever I fly, I am always in business or first and generally look nice. No running shoes or track bottoms or shirts with team names on them. This is the passenger attendant's office and a certain level of appreciation of this is appropriate. I hold my employees to the same standard. I don't like the informality of these uniforms. It does not evoke any sense of pride in their workplace. Plus, it make that stewardess on the right look like she/he/they has a bigger dick than I do.
Tell me you're pretentious without telling me you're pretentious.
You may not like to work in my office in silicon valley then :P
ROFL at your last sentence
Reminds me of Dr. Gregory House - not sure if that's a good or bad thing with respect to flight attendants. I totally dig a nice t-shirt and blazer, but I don't like the colors/styles presented by Play. Looks shabby rather than cool.
I find the color combination harsh on the eye and simply distasteful. Uniform reminds me of the red suit that Matt Bellamy wore during their performance at Wembley - great for a rock concert but not so much for in-flight service. Comparatively, I prefer the red uniforms worn by the Spice Jet crew - flashy but elegant. Are they claiming that all young people are badly dressed? If so, that's a broad stroke and inaccurate.
Sorry, the uniforms are trashy. There's no two ways about it.
Drinking the "gender equality" koolaid will only take you so far; at the end of the day, this is not a good look.
So just to clarify, you don't believe in gender equality? If so, which one do you find to be superior?
I took the statement to mean that creating uniforms that consist of (subjectively) trashy/unprofessional sweatshirts and t-shirts then playing CYA by calling it "gender equality" is dishonest (PLAY are not concerned about gender equality here, they just have lazy brand managers) and dilutes the meaning of the actual term and is disingenuous of the acts supporting gender equality. But I may be overly generous.
I like bold colors on airplanes, but nobody did it like Braniff. Boy I miss seeing all the Flying Colors at DFW:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23032926@N05/6350609476/
The first flight is currently scheduled to London Stansted on the 24th of June rather than mid July. I had the same thought re the "on-time performance" aspect of the uniform but I guess it is just buzzword bingo to get out they want to be on time, doesn't every airline though?
Oh, the t-shirts are horrible. I would really question the professionalism of flight attendants wearing t-shirts. I guess that I am just not hip and cool enough to fly Play.
I disagree somewhat about the uniforms. There is a difference between casual/informal and just sloppy. Maybe a year of meeting by Zoom rather than in person has led us to accept glorified pajama wear as appropriate attire. Neatness still counts.
Agreed.
Neatness doesn't count imo. As long as it's clear that they are actually employees so you know who to ask if you need help or whatever, who cares what they're wearing. A business suit is not critical to safety or operations.
In the first picture, the “Y” going into the “A” in the logo kind of makes an image of a plane taking off.