SINGAPORE— Singapore Airlines (SQ) will begin replacing its iconic open-toe cabin crew sandals with new closed-toe wedge shoes from January 2027. The airline selected local footwear brand Pazzion to design the new shoes.
The change will allow female cabin crew to wear one pair of shoes throughout a flight instead of switching footwear between boarding, take-off and passenger disembarkation. Singapore Airlines says the redesign aims to improve safety, comfort and support while meeting operational requirements.
Singapore Airlines Introduces New Cabin Crew Footwear
Singapore Airlines finalised the new footwear design after testing several prototypes on actual flights. An airline spokesperson told Mothership that the decision followed a review of crew members’ footwear requirements.
The new closed-toe wedges will replace both the open-toe sandals and closed-toe slingbacks currently used by female cabin crew. The change will simplify the uniform requirements and remove the need for flight attendants to switch shoes during different phases of a flight.
The new shoes will feature thicker lambskin insoles to provide additional support. They will also retain Singapore Airlines’ signature batik motif, maintaining a visual connection with the airline’s established cabin crew uniform.
The footwear will come in colour variations that match the uniforms assigned to different crew ranks. An image shared on Xiaohongshu indicates that the wedge heel will remain the same height as the current slingbacks, Mothership reported.
Why Singapore Airlines Is Standardising Crew Footwear
Singapore Airlines currently requires female cabin crew to alternate between two types of shoes during a flight.
Flight attendants wear open-toe sandals while welcoming passengers during boarding. They change into closed-toe slingbacks before take-off and switch back to the sandals after landing to see passengers off.
The airline introduced the slingbacks in 2001, following the deadly Singapore Airlines Flight SQ006 crash in Taiwan in October 2000. The footwear change prompted questions about whether open-toe sandals could affect cabin crew movement during an emergency evacuation.
However, Singapore Airlines denied that the change was linked to the crash. The airline clarified at the time that it had already been considering replacement footwear in September 1999, before the accident.
The new design will standardise the footwear used throughout the flight. From January 2027, female cabin crew will no longer need to alternate between sandals and slingbacks as they move between different operational phases.
New Shoes Retain Singapore Airlines’ Signature Design
Although Singapore Airlines is changing its cabin crew footwear, the new design will retain elements of the airline’s recognisable uniform.
The batik motif will remain a central feature, while colour variations will correspond to different crew ranks. This approach will preserve the uniform’s established appearance while introducing a more practical shoe design.
The thicker lambskin insoles are intended to improve support, while the closed-toe construction will replace the existing combination of open-toe sandals and closed-toe slingbacks.
The airline developed the final design after testing multiple prototypes on actual flights, indicating that the selection process included operational use rather than design considerations alone.
Former Flight Attendant Calls Change Practical
The decision to retire the open-toe sandals has received a mixed response from former cabin crew.
A former Singapore Airlines female flight attendant told Lianhe Zaobao that she felt it was a pity the airline would phase out the sandals. She described them as comfortable and an iconic part of the cabin crew uniform.
However, she also acknowledged the practical benefits of the change. She expected current flight attendants to welcome the new footwear because they would no longer need to change shoes during their duties.
The transition reflects Singapore Airlines’ effort to balance its traditional uniform identity with the practical needs of cabin crew. The new closed-toe wedges will retain the signature batik styling while simplifying footwear requirements during flight operations.
When Will Singapore Airlines Introduce the New Shoes?
Singapore Airlines will progressively introduce the new closed-toe wedges from January 2027. The transition will replace both existing footwear styles with a single design for female cabin crew.
The airline has not specified a final completion date for the rollout in the information provided. The new shoes will feature thicker lambskin insoles, rank-specific colours, and the signature batik motif.
The change marks the end of the airline’s long-standing open-toe sandal design for female cabin crew, while retaining visual elements associated with its uniform.
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