Last week, after a long eight-year development process, United Airlines finally rolled out its new designer uniform from Tracy Reese and Brooks Brothers, and with it has come a renewed focus on making sure flight attendants are wearing their uniforms to strict company standards.
Supervisors are stalking airport concourses to challenge flight attendants caught wearing dresses or skirts that are too short, as well as the wrong type of makeup, nail varnish, or hairstyle, as the airline embarks on its uniform clampdown.
Included in the long list of standards that supervisors are making sure flight attendants comply with is the use of airline-issued luggage from the designer American luggage brand Tumi.
Flight attendants were first issued with luxury Tumi hand luggage in March 2018, just months after United announced its plans for a much larger uniform redesign.
But soon after being issued the two or four-wheeled rollaboard in a dark navy blue color, many flight attendants ditched their Tumi cases for much cheaper bags.
Based on the Continental Expandable case, which usually retails for $675 before tax, flight attendants ended up throwing their Tumi cases at the back of their closets and spending their own money on luggage that they believe meets their needs a lot better.
The go-to brand that many flight attendants use is the Travelpro Flightcrew range, which was designed by an ex-airline pilot specifically for aircrew. The problem, however, is that these cases don’t meet United’s uniform standards.
This isn’t a new change, but until now, United had apparently turned a blind eye to flight attendants swapping out their Tumi cases for alternative brands.
As the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), which represents United crew members, pointed out: “Luggage has been a hot topic of conversation lately. The luggage standard is status quo and did not change with the recently updated Uniform & Appearance Standards for the new uniform.”
“The Tumi two or four-wheeled bag is the required suitcase, and the company expects that everyone who was issued a Tumi suitcase is using it,” the memo continued.
One of the biggest gripes that flight attendants have with their Tumi luggage is that even when empty, the case is still relatively heavy, especially compared to comparable luggage from other brands.
This complaint might, however, give them an excuse to use their own choice of luggage rather than facing disciplinary action.
Flight attendants who can convince their supervisor that the company-issued luggage is causing shoulder problems or back pain could get a dispensation to use their own luggage.
Although the uniform crackdown might mean you could see a lot more United flight attendants using Tumi cases, I wouldn’t be too sure. Flight attendants are free to use their own accessories, including tote bags and smaller wheely bags for shorter day flights, which don’t have to be Tumi.
It also remains to be seen whether United will clamp down on other uniform rules for the Tumi luggage, which, when first issued, banned accessories like garish luggage tags.
Matt’s take – United probably didn’t expect pushback over Tumi as the sole supplier of luggage
Amongst US-based airlines, United is pretty unique in supplying flight attendants with designer luggage, although, internationally, the practice is a lot more common.
That being said, luxury designer brands are very rarely used. In the Middle East, common brands issued to flight attendants include Samsonite and the French luggage brand Delsy.
Flight attendants at carriers such as Emirates will be issued with both a carry-on case and a checked case. It is mandatory to use a checked case for overnight layovers, no matter how short, ensuring that crew members don’t have messy-looking ‘luggage trains’ going through the airport terminal.
AirTran had a good idea when flight attendants were carrying lunch coolers of various kinds… they got Coca-Cola to buy every crew member a (branded with AirTran and Coke logos) fairly large cooler bag that became part of the official uniform issue – thus others weren’t allowed. They also had a rule that everyone in the company was required to wear one company-branded-issued lanyard – in exchange nobody would have to ever pay for one, but no union/sports teams/slogans/etc. Worked out well on both counts.
This article fails to address the poor quality of the Tumi bags we received. Mine was a hazardous contraption of pointy, sharp stabby spokes and loose wiring that would hurt the van drivers maneuvering my bag. The handle’s rubber casing would rip off, wheels frequently locked up or became crooked, etc.. and I experienced this all within a year of owning the bag. I’ve sent it back to Tumi at least 6 times since 2018; the bag is piss-poor quality, no way around that. It isn’t built for crew use. The j-hook attachment on the bag is a joke and far inferior to Travelpro’s j-hook casing, which is screwed into the top of the bag. Tumi’s has some flimsy T shape attachment that is not secure and *will* become detached in the hotel van, overhead bin, etc.
I spent almost a thousand dollars out of pocket and got myself a Briggs & Riley baseline bag and it looks as new as it did the day that I bought it almost 2 years ago. Great quality, unparalleled warranty, and United can go scratch if they think that i’m dealing with that joke of a tumi bag.
Well I must say this is a one sided story that was nit researched too well….it is true that ua flight attendants got new tumi bags in 2017…however…when united started to re hire loads of new flight attendants they were issued delsey bags and not tumi…many flight attendants sold there tumi bags because they were too heavy and not functional like the old travel pro….and united never issued new bags even though many have had these bags for years….since 2017…imagine 8 years of everyday use? You should see what some of these bags look like….and there is no re issue plan u r on your own…
Genuine question (and no agenda): Any chance the complaints have more to do with the fact that the TUMI luggage found its way to eBay and that it’s no longer in the hands of the complainants rather than anything to do with the luggage itself?