Alaska Airlines has reportedly barred flight attendants from its newly acquired Hawaiian Airlines subsidiary from wearing traditional floral attire and aloha shirts on certain international flights. The new dress code restrictions affect approximately 250 Seattle-based cabin crew members who have transitioned to operating international routes out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Under the temporary policy, flight attendants working on flights marketed under the Alaska Airlines brand are restricted from wearing signature uniform elements, including flower lei, aloha shirts and floral hairpieces. The decision follows the $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Holdings by Alaska Air Group in September 2024.
On long-haul international flights out of Seattle operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the onboard service is marketed exclusively under the Alaska Airlines brand. Flight attendants on these routes must follow Alaska’s standard dress code, wearing neutral tops accented by the carrier’s Northern Lights-inspired design rather than their traditional attire.
Flight attendants at Hawaiian Airlines have been permitted to wear flowers in their hair since the 1950s, a tradition heavily tied to the airline’s identity. Alisa Onishi, managing director of Hawaii marketing for Hawaiian and Alaska airlines, acknowledged internal pushback but defended the policy as necessary to maintain clear branding. “Not everybody is happy necessarily about the decision. But once we explain it, they understand how important it is to not mix our brands,” she told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
The restrictions do not apply to all routes. Hawaiian cultural elements remain permitted on any flights traveling directly to or from Hawaii, regardless of whether the aircraft carries Alaska or Hawaiian branding. “If you are flying to Hawaii … they can wear flowers in their hair. They can wear lei,” Onishi said.
Executives from both carriers stated that the strict separation of uniform standards was part of a broader effort to prevent the two brands from blurring together during the integration process. The Association of Flight Attendants, the union representing the crew members, is currently negotiating joint labour agreements with airline management. Company officials stated that a new uniform programme featuring input from Hawaiian cultural creators was in development.
