FAQs for New Look Uniform Program March 8, 2007

The response to the new CSA and flight attendant uniforms designed by Stan Herman was overwhelmingly favorable on the recent Uniform Road Show. Employees liked the quality of the fabrics used, the variety of options, the introduction of color and the heritage concept, and more feminine styling for ladies.

We’ve recapped many of the questions we’ve received below. Please forward any questions or comments to newlook@usairways.com. We value your feedback!

The new business casual uniform program features relaxed, yet professional core pieces for everyone that can be dressed up or down depending upon your personal or geographic needs. The attractive, modern separates can be mixed and matched for greater variety and comfort.

Q: I love all the options available in the new program! However, I’m concerned that my workgroup won’t have access to all the pieces I saw on the road show.
A: While differentiation is important to some, it also means fewer options for everyone and increased cost. We’ve explored changing the trim on the jackets, for example, and doing so requires leaving the sleeves open and finishing them here in the U.S. That means greater cost due to higher labor fees. We’re still sorting this out, so stay tuned for further details.

Q: When will the new uniforms be available?
A: We’re shooting for January 2008, assuming the upcoming wear test goes well. After that, we need to analyze the results of the wear test, order the fabric, produce the uniforms for the fit lines, conduct fittings for approximately 10,000 employees in eight major cities, place the orders, manufacture the uniforms and ship them to employees.

Q: I’m an Express employee. Will I be able to wear what I saw on the road show?
A: You don’t state whether you work for a wholly-owned affiliate or a non-wholly owned carrier. Whatever the case, we care about your appearance! We’d love everyone to wear uniforms from the new program, but need to evaluate the cost for US Airways and the Express operators. We plan to meet with management from all of the Express carriers within the next month to discuss options. We’ll keep you posted.

Q: I attended one of the road shows and was thrilled with the quality of the proposed uniforms. How can we as a low-cost carrier afford this kind of program?
A: We’ve been careful to keep our roll-out costs lower than our current combined uniform costs. While retaining a designer sounds expensive, Stan is an expert at creating uniform programs for airline employees and knows this business inside and out. For example, he helped us determine which uniform supplier would be able to give us the best price and quality. And, as a division of Men’s WearHouse, TwinHill is able to provide us with manufacturing and distribution efficiencies that many of the other suppliers couldn’t. They’ve also worked with us to suggest innovative ways to keep our costs and liability down, such as limited ordering periods for certain non-core items.

Q: So what’s it going to cost me if I want to purchase additional garments?
A: We heard how unhappy you all are with your uniforms, so we tried to keep our costs down while increasing quality. The price of the new tailored garments will be similar to your current uniforms. Because the quality of the shirts was pretty poor in the past, the price of the new cotton/poly shirts will be a little higher. We expect that the sweaters will be slightly higher too due to the increase in quality. We’ll let you know what the prices are as soon as we finalize the changes that are being made to the road show garments based on employee feedback.

Q: Will the new program be an allotment or replacement program?
A: You’ll receive an initial allotment of “points” that you can use to go shopping! We won’t tell you which pieces you have to order. Instead, you’ll have a certain amount that you can spend within different categories, like jackets, tops and bottoms. You’ll be free to choose what looks best on you and meets your geographic/personal needs. After the initial roll-out, items will be replaced at company expense when they appear worn (sometime probably after 18 months).

Q: What if I choose a zip-front jacket at the fit line this summer and then decide two years later that I want to replace it with a blazer?
A: We’re working though those issues now with each workgroup. However, we want you to be able to order what you want to wear, so you may have to trade in two less expensive items to receive a more costly piece of equivalent value, or make up the difference on your own dime. Don’t worry – we’ll come up with something fair and let you know before you have to place your order.

Q: What about my current allotment? Should I use it up or save it to apply to my uniforms so I can get more?
A: You will not be able to carry over your current allotment.

Q: What about outerwear?
A: Stan is designing an all-weather coat with a zip-out lining and a raincoat that can be folded up and zipped into its pocket. Flight attendants will receive both. We are working with Airport Services to determine what CSAs will receive.

Q: I loved the ladies’ dress when I saw it on the road show, but don’t know how many people will really be able to wear it.
A: We retained Stan Herman because he is an expert at designing clothing for people of all sizes. Stan has stated that he believes the dress can be sized up to an 18 or 20. We plan to hold him to it! With that said, you need to have a certain type of figure to carry off a dress like that. Ladies who are significantly bigger on the top or bottom, might be happier with the two-piece because they’ll be able to order the correct size for both. It’s all about choosing what works best for you personally and that’s why there are so many options.

Q: The zipper on the ladies’ dress is very smart and stylish. But what do I do if my dress accidentally comes unzipped?
A: When Stan said he wanted to design a zip-front dress, we warned him that we needed a “modesty feature”. So he designed a clever inner placket with some hook and eyes to prevent any “wardrobe malfunctions” as they call it in Super Bowl speak.

Q: Will there be uniform guidelines provided for the new program?
A: Yes. The Uniform Review Committee will work collectively to develop new guidelines that support the relaxed but professional appearance of Stan’s collection. We’ll look at best practices from both America West and US Airways in addition to those in use at other airlines, to come up with what we think is best for our employees and our corporate image.

Q: Are the new items washable? I need to be able to wash an outfit in my hotel sink and let it drip dry overnight.
A: Yes. You’ll be able to wash the shirts, sweaters and dresses. Several of our employee models successfully tried this on the road show. While the “suit” fabric is washable, we don’t recommend washing your blazer because it will ruin the inner construction. If you want your pants and skirt to match your jacket, you should plan to dry clean them together – caring for them differently can change the way they matched in the beginning. TwinHill has agreed to prepare a guidelines booklet for us that will include details on how to properly clean your new uniform apparel.

Q: Are there any restrictions about which items I can wear together?
A: We expect there will be very few restrictions since the entire collection was designed to mix and match. The men’s and ladies’ vests, however, should not be worn under the jackets. They are intended to be standalone garments. Stan prefers that men wear the solid blue tie with the heritage shirt and the heritage tie with the solid blue and white shirts. We might also decide to restrict ladies from wearing scarves as belts or in their hair. Those relatively minor things will be addressed prior to production of the guidelines manual.

Q: I busted my you-know-what to make it to one of the road shows to see the new program in person only to find out that the uniform team had packed up and left a half hour early. What’s with that action?
A: We sincerely apologize to anyone who missed the show because the team packed up a little early. It became obvious on the first flight from PIT to PHL that there would be challenges getting everyone’s rollaboard on if they boarded with customers. Since most of the shows were scheduled back-to-back, the local customer service staff pre-boarded the team when possible to speed up our customers’ boarding experience. Hopefully the photos and streaming video on the Web will give you a good idea of the new program. We also plan to distribute posters and concept boards with photos and swatches of fabric at key cities systemwide.

Q: Tell me more about Stan Herman.
A: Stan has been designing uniforms for over thirty years, but even before that was well known as a designer who prided himself on designing great fashion that was accessible to everybody. His uniforms have always combined design with function and comfort. His mantra: you should want to wear your uniform the same way you want to wear your own clothes.

Q: How do you plan to publicly release the new program?
A: We plan to unveil Stan’s collection at US Airways Media Day, which will be held in Tempe on March 14th. Six of the road show employees (four of whom are local) will model their garments from the tour. The press will receive a kit with select photos of the road show team that they can then use when writing about the new program.

Q: Some of the uniforms didn’t seem to be the right size for the employees who modeled them. Why?
A: You’re right – there were a few individuals whose garments were not exactly right… through no fault of their own (or Stan’s or TwinHill’s for that matter). We wanted to get the garments out in front of all of you as quickly as possible to meet our January 2008 deadline. Normally Stan would have seen the clothes on professional fit models first, then adjustments would have been made before fabric was even cut for the employee models’ clothing. In this case, Stan saw them for the first time on our real-world models! Because of some sizing issues, we moved a few garments between four or five models. These people deserve to be applauded for gamely putting up with items that weren’t their proper size so employees could see the entire line. Luckily you’ll all have fit lines to help you find your proper size before you make your own debut!

Q: What can you tell us about the wear test?
A: We plan to begin a 30 to 45-day wear test in mid-March with the employees whose garments fit them properly on the road show. We’ll also produce a few new garments for those individuals who needed different sizes. We’d hoped to add at least another 10 employees to the wear test, but with Chinese New Year in full swing in Asia, we’re unable to get additional fabric or production-quality garments which are necessary for a true wear test. Wear testers will wear promotional buttons on their outfits that say “Ask Me About My New Uniform” and will seek input from employees and customers alike.

Q: How will I know what my proper size is? Each supplier’s sizing seems to be different.
A: You’re right. And uniform supplier sizing is different from retail sizing. (Stan will tell you that a well-known designer is responsible for making us all think we are a size or two smaller than we really are!) TwinHill’s sizing chart will probably be different from Cintas’ or M&H’s. However, TwinHill’s sizing will be consistent within their own line. Most importantly, you’ll know which size to order because you’ll be scheduled for a fitting at a focus city near you. The staff on hand will be trained to help you choose the styles and sizes that best suit you.

Q: How will alterations be handled?
A: The garments that are sent to you will be the size that fit you best at the fit line. No alterations will be made at that time, except the desired length of your hem. If you need additional alterations, you can take your uniform to your closest Men’s WearHouse and use the $25 TwinHill gift card issued to you with your uniform. Or, you can choose to have alterations made as you do now.

Q: Please include a mock turtleneck for ladies in the new program! A: There was an overwhelming request to include this item…we are looking into it.

Q: I thought some of the sleeves were too short on some of the ladies’ tops. What do you plan to do?
A: We agree with you and are already reworking these garments.

Q: I wear shorts currently and was interested to hear there will be a skort. Can you tell us more?
A: We are reworking the skort pattern to ensure the pleats in front and back will close up properly as designed by Stan. It is designed to look like an above-the-knee (no more than two inches!) skirt but provide the type of coverage our ladies prefer.

Q: Will ties and scarves be required?
A: No, they are optional, unless you are working a transatlantic flight. The AFA has agreed that those flight attendants need to look a little “dressier”.

Q: Why is the color palette of the program all blue?
A: As Stan always says, we have become a blue world. It has proven to be the most friendly and universal color in most walks of life. The shades of blue concept came from the first focus groups where Stan mentioned accenting the uniform with different blues to help take US Airways away from the crowd of other airlines which all have red accents.

Q: I don’t like drop-waist pants.
A: Remember they are not hip huggers! They are just slightly dropped from the waist to add a little more relaxed fit and comfort through the waist and hips.

Q: I hate side pockets – they make my hips look wide.
A: The side pockets were necessary to accommodate the design of the hidden stretch waistband. We think you’ll find that the added comfort is well worth it. Stan’s experience in the past shows that whenever they have removed the pockets in the past, they later receive requests to put them back in.

Q: Thanks for providing more feminine styling. Can you give me some further details?
 A: You bet! Ladies can choose from a variety of garments that will make them feel attractive and confident. Our designer, Stan Herman has developed three blouses in different fabric complete with princess seams and y-neck collars that can be worn in or out, depending on your preference. The polo for female CSAs also features a y-neck collar to differentiate it from the men’s polo with the raglan trim and three-button placket. The ladies’ blazer and two-piece dress top both feature a slight drop peplum line for a more flattering cut on a variety of shapes and sizes. Ladies have the option of wearing pants or A-line skirts with modern drop waists and expandable waistlines for greater comfort, or their choice of a stylish zip-front dress or more versatile two-piece dress. Ladies will also be able to choose a zip-front cardigan with turn-back cuffs, a matching sweater shell, and two very different but equally attractive scarves, one oblong and one square.

Q: I wear a larger size than most. How do you plan to address the needs of employees like me?
A: We retained Stan Herman because he is an expert at designing clothing for people of all sizes. Stan has committed to designing core uniform pieces that will look as great on a size 4 as on a size 20. If you watch Stan on QVC, you’ll see the same loungewear set on a smaller woman as a full-figured one – and they both look terrific. Stan says it’s all in how you size up the pattern. He’ll work with TwinHill to ensure they get this right. And in some cases you may be considered a special size that will need more attention from the manufacturer to make sure your uniform fits you correctly.

Q: I recently bought a pair of slacks from our current uniform provider and the fabric isn’t as soft as the pair I purchased previously. The cut doesn’t seem to be the same either. Are we going to have these problems in the future?
A: Unfortunately, both East and West are in existing uniform programs that suppliers inherited from other vendors and interim fixes have been made along the way due to lack of availability or bankruptcy issues. TwinHill was eager to work with us on our new program because it will be entirely new business for them and the combined company will be much larger than either program was previously. We have worked diligently with Stan and TwinHill to ensure we select comfortable fabrics for our new garments and we think you’ll be delighted. (Look farther down for more details regarding fabric.) Purchasing will make certain that TwinHill will make good on the promises they make to earn our business.

Q: I’m tired of looking frumpy. Are we getting something that is more form-fitting?
A: Stan understands that our employees are tired of their current outdated uniforms. He has developed garments that are more modern in appearance (like retail clothing) and work for all sizes. Both male and female shirts and jackets will be less boxy, with more shape to them. We’re thrilled to have found higher-quality fabrics with a little bit of stretch in it for greater comfort and stretch. Ladies’ garments will be cut for ladies – no more looking like men, girls!

Q: Please keep in mind that many of us are more “mature”. We don’t want to look silly in clothing that is too youthful for us.
A: You’ll be glad to know that you’re in good company – the majority of people who completed the roadshow survey – systemwide – were over 40. Stan is aware that we have a range of ages, shapes and sizes, and has addressed that in his design. His proposed garments are modern in appearance, yet timeless enough that you’ll be able to wear them proudly for at least five or six years without feeling that they are outdated. We hope to update some of the optional clothing every few years so you’ll be able to mix and match with something more current. Stan’s designs aren’t about designing younger but about fresher!

Q: My long-sleeved shirts get so wrinkled. Can we get wrinkle-free fabric?
A: The blend of fabric is very important. Stan has selected a cotton-rich blend of 55% cotton and 45% polyester that will keep you cool and comfortable while maintaining a professional appearance, in addition to being easy to wash and cost-effective. There are some amazing new fabrics that are breathable and stretchable with wrinkle-free qualities actually built into the yarn itself. Understandably, these new solutions are more expensive. The shirts you can buy at JC Penny for example that are wrinkle-free are only surface-treated for regular wear and are not intended to stand up to repeated washing over an 18-month period. After about three months of washing, the wrinkle-free treatment washes out. We think we’re getting the best combination for what we can afford and many employees told us upfront that they wanted more natural fabrics for greater comfort and breathability.

Q: I like plain-front pants, but my co-worker thinks we should have pleated pants. What are we going to get?
A: Most of the employees we spoke with prefer plain-front pants, whether they were young, more mature, slim or large. According to Stan, who currently only wears plain-front pants, they are more modern in appearance and generally make everyone look slimmer. One of our road show models, who was a die-hard advocate of pleated pants, actually changed his mind after wearing Stan’s new plain-front pants for a week. However, we are exploring offering both pleated and plain-front options so our employees can have a choice, assuming we can afford to do so.

Q: Can we get both junior and misses sizes?
A: Stan will design our core pieces in such a way that the garments get adjusted as they get larger.

Q: Will we have garments in Petite, Regular, and Tall sizes?
A: Yes. Stan feels fit is extremely important and will work closely with TwinHill to ensure he is satisfied that all of the new garments are properly sized up and down. We heard lots of comments when we first met with employees that the rise of the current pants is not right. Issues like this will be addressed with the new program.