Transport Staff Allowed to Wear Sneakers, Sunglasses; Companies Change Rules to Attract Staff

By Shodai Niki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:39 JST, May 31, 2025

More and more railway and airline companies are relaxing their dress codes for station staff and crew members.

One positive aspect of the workers’ uniforms is that they signal to customers that the people wearing them are trustworthy. However, companies in the transportation industry, which is said to be particularly strict about employee appearance, are now trying to secure personnel by creating a worker-friendly environment.

‘Summer uniform’ period extended

Tokyo Metro Co. had required its station staff and train crew members to wear neckties and leather shoes in principle. However, as of May 1, the company has made neckties optional, and sneakers are allowed as long as they are dark. The company has also extended its designated summer uniform period from May-October to April-November, given that the weather has been extremely hot in recent years.

“We now allow employees to choose more comfortable work clothing on the condition that safety is ensured,” an official of the company said.

Skymark Airlines Inc. has allowed its flight attendants and airport customer service personnel to wear sneakers since April. Airdo Co., another airline company, also plans to allow its airport staff to wear sneakers on a trial basis starting in July.

On-site transportation workers are often required to work while standing and walking. By relaxing the dress code for workers, the companies are trying to help reduce fatigue.

Meanwhile, some companies are changing their rules to improve safety. In March, Hokkaido Railway Co. conducted a test in which Shinkansen and local train drivers wore sunglasses while driving the trains. The test revealed that sunglasses help reduce snow glare, improve visibility and reduce driver fatigue. The company plans to conduct another test around June to see the effects of wearing sunglasses during summer and will consider fully introducing sunglasses for train drivers.

To secure talent

One of the reasons that the companies are relaxing their rules is to secure workers.

According to a survey by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry in February, nearly half of all railway companies said they faced a shortage of drivers. In the airline industry, where many personnel left their jobs due to flight reductions during the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, a recovery in demand has led to a shortage of workers.

Retail stores and restaurants are also relaxing their rules for employees, allowing them to dye their hair freely and apply nail polish of any color, among other things.

In the transportation industry, workers are responsible for protecting the lives of passengers, and their uniforms have been considered an important factor in gaining trust, according to an analyst. However, companies are becoming increasingly aware of a necessity to relax their rules. “We need to relax our rules to create a comfortable working environment that will motivate our employees in their work,” an official from a major railway company said.

A public relations official at Skymark said: “We [changed the rules] to allow our employees to wear sneakers at work based on the opinions of our on-site workers, and they have appreciated the change, saying that they feel less tired than before. We will further improve the working environment so that employees can continue to work for a long time.”

On the other hand, some companies are cautious about relaxing their rules. Among them, such major airlines Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways Co. have not made any changes to their dress code.

“Appearance is an important element of our brand,” an official from a major airline said. “We have no plans to relax our dress code for the time being.”