Air Canada’s flight attendant uniforms combine Canadian fashion, classic tailoring and practical features developed through extensive employee testing. Here’s how the Christopher Bates collection was created. Original story published on 10 February 2017, updated on 13 October 2026.
Air Canada‘s flight attendant uniforms, designed by Canadian fashion designer Christopher Bates and first revealed in 2017, remain part of the airline’s identity. In a September 2025 historic uniform retrospective, Air Canada confirmed that the Bates collection was still its current uniform, describing it as the airline’s 2017–present era.
The collection features charcoal-grey tailoring, crisp white shirts, silk scarves and ties, and distinctive red accents inspired by the airline’s maple leaf emblem.
But the uniforms were designed to do more than look smart. Before their introduction, hundreds of Air Canada employees helped test and refine the garments to ensure they could withstand the demands of working onboard aircraft and at airports.
Who designed Air Canada’s flight attendant uniforms?
Canadian fashion designer Christopher Bates created the collection as part of Air Canada’s wider brand refresh, which coincided with the airline’s 80th anniversary in 2017.
Bates was selected following a competition involving leading Canadian designers. Known for his contemporary approach to classic menswear, he had established his namesake fashion label in Canada before moving production to Milan in 2014.
The airline wanted a distinctive Canadian look that would complement its new aircraft livery while providing employees with comfortable, durable clothing.
“I take classic style and modernise it by focusing on the fabric, colour, and texture but also more specific features like kissing buttons on jacket sleeves, unique stitching and seaming,” Bates explained when the uniforms were unveiled.
“As brand ambassadors who travel around the world it is important that Air Canada employees feel stylish, confident and comfortable in their uniforms as they take care of millions of customers every year.”
Air Canada employees helped test the uniforms
One of the most interesting aspects of the redesign was the extensive employee testing programme.
During 2015 and 2016, 250 employees from across Air Canada’s operational departments participated in two rounds of wear testing.
The airline evaluated comfort, durability, ease of maintenance, safety and functionality. Employees also recommended changes that were incorporated into the final designs.
These included a lighter, wrinkle-resistant women’s shirt and replacing airport agents’ handbags with messenger bags large enough to carry essential work equipment, including radios.
The testing recognised an important distinction between fashion and working uniforms. Flight attendants need clothing that allows them to move freely, work in confined spaces and perform safety duties, often during long shifts.
What do Air Canada’s flight attendant uniforms look like?
The Christopher Bates collection uses charcoal-grey wool suiting with Air Canada’s signature red accents.
Flight attendants and airport agents wear tailored jackets, trousers, skirts and dresses, complemented by white shirts, silk ties and scarves.
The Air Canada Rondelle, featuring the maple leaf, appears throughout the collection.
Rather than creating entirely separate looks for each role, Bates developed coordinated garments that employees could layer and combine.
The collection also includes practical outerwear suited to Canada’s varied climate. Water-resistant coats feature removable quilted liners and hoods, allowing employees to adapt their clothing to different weather conditions.
The outerwear was designed for use both on and off duty, reducing the need to carry additional coats when travelling.
Uniforms for pilots, airport agents and ground staff
The redesign extended well beyond cabin crew.
Pilots received a traditional double-breasted blazer with peak lapels, a modern button arrangement and antique-gold detailing.
Airport concierges were given distinctive black wool suits with a twill weave, white shirts and red accents.
Ground employees, including baggage handlers, cargo agents and station attendants, received durable workwear featuring polo shirts, webbed belts and bonded jackets.
Safety features included reflective detailing and pull-away hoods, intended to meet the practical requirements of working around aircraft and ground equipment.
The collection created a coordinated appearance across Air Canada’s customer-facing and operational teams while recognising that different jobs require different clothing.
An award-winning Canadian uniform design
The Bates collection subsequently received international recognition.
According to Christopher Bates’ official portfolio, the uniforms won the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors’ 2018 Best of the Best award, as well as recognition at the Professional Clothing Awards in London.
The designer’s portfolio describes a coordinated collection of approximately 150 pieces created for around 28,000 employees.
Air Canada revisited the design at the 2025 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach, where employees modelled uniforms representing different periods of the airline’s history.
The airline’s uniform retrospective traced its flight attendant uniforms from 1938 to the Christopher Bates collection, showing how changing fashions have influenced the appearance of airline crews.
The Bates design was presented as the current uniform, nearly a decade after its original unveiling.
Are Air Canada’s Christopher Bates uniforms still in use?
Yes. Air Canada identified the Christopher Bates collection as its current uniform in September 2025. The airline has not announced a replacement collection.
The design remains a useful example of how airline uniforms balance corporate identity with the practical needs of flight attendants, pilots and airport employees.
Its development also illustrates why employee involvement matters. The final collection was not simply a designer’s interpretation of airline fashion. It incorporated feedback from the people who would wear the clothing every day.
