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ANA eases dress code for female workers, allowing shoes without heels

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What are pumps?

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

Great news for these women! The shoes they now can wear sound like a female version of a man's business shoe!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

What are pumps?

Google is your friend!

9 ( +14 / -5 )

More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement.

Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

-31 ( +8 / -39 )

ANA is now asking that heels have a height of around 5 centimeters or below

So, in plain English: heels over 5 cm are forbidden.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement. Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

Do me a favor, walk around in 5CM or higher heels for 8 to 10 hours and then come back and talk about it being "nonsense". These "codes" were thought up by men who have ZERO idea of what pain and suffering it causes these women and finally ANA is listening!

25 ( +31 / -6 )

More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement.

Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

more nonsense from the dinosaur movement. it's not about being P.C., it's about comfortable and safe.

Don't like the real world you're welcome to stick to drumpf's twitter account.

16 ( +23 / -7 )

The shoes they now can wear sound like a female version of a man's business shoe!

Yes, in terms of comfort, this is out of the frying pan into the slightly less hot fire.

It's good to see that they have not banned (short) heels. There will be shorter women who may actually want to wear them.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Pumps...Japanese girls refer to simple high heels as pumps, I believe the French too. One of Christian Louboutins best selling shoe is the ‘Simple Pump’ which comes in various heel sizes and in no resembles a trainer or a canvas shoe.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

zichi: I am relianly informed that the British would also consider this much the same, maybe more a ‘court shoe’.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Glad to hear this. If there is some kind of emergency, high heals would get in the way of moving and responding quickly.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

It really is good news for the Staff at ANA, dare I say even better for the ground/gate staff who constantly have to run around looking for errant passengers.

I think it is safe to assume that they will not be running around in trainers! I think in this context we can assume they do not mean this, zichi , it may interest you to kmow that iconic ‘Mary Jane’ is also considered a pump. I commend you for lifting a quote from Wiki, I however am (unfortunately) married to someone with a rabid shoe obsession.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Good news!

Always nice to see a woman wearing her shoes in comfort. Mmm hmmm!! Yeah..!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Which was all..50 years ago? Zero disrespect intended.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It's good to see that they have not banned (short) heels. There will be shorter women who may actually want to wear them.

As long as it doesn't turn into a case where lower level leaders are quietly directed to "nudge" their people to wear the heels. As in "voluntary" overtime.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

As long as it doesn't turn into a case where lower level leaders are quietly directed to "nudge" their people to wear the heels. As in "voluntary" overtime.

I would put money on ANA biasing its recruitment toward taller women for customer-facing positions. It may be prejudice to make women wear heels, but it is also prejudice to not employ short women. For those people, shoes with heels are actually a leveler.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When we were kids, before the modern introduction of sneakers/trainers we called our gym shoes or plimsolls "pumps". When I was a crew member on a sailboat or yacht we called our canvas deck shoes "pumps". When I was in the navy, we called our canvas shoes "pumps".

Welcome to Japan! Does not matter one bit what YOU think the word means, as it is TOTALLY understandable to all the women who are Japanese and work at ANA!

And by the way, what you call them HERE, your "definition", would be 100% wrong!

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

zichiToday  09:09 am JST

The British English word "pumps" has a different meaning than the one used in the post. A court shoe (British English), coort shoe (Scottish English), or pump (American English), is a shoe with a low-cut front, or vamp.

Yes there is a lot of difference in language around the world! The brits also refer to cigarettes as "fags" LOL

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If you look at photographs of them, none of the flight attendants on ANA (or JAL) wear high heels, . Most wear shoes with between 0 - 2 cm heels.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

BigYenToday  10:40 am JST

What's with all the aggro? Someone posts a harmless comment about an alternative meaning of the word "pumps" and all of a sudden there's a stoush?

Don't you think there's enough serious news to get all het up about?

Agreed. Language meaning and annunciation policy enforced is troubling. In USA - NIGG is ok to use if you are of a certain racial/socio-economic label, but NIGGE is absolute hate. Truth is that it's the same word annunciated differently and either version is same word.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

it's about time,

they are working while we are seating/sleeping,

it's hard work/labor, they need to wear comfortable shoe and also cloth.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@BigYen: Yes, I agree and apologise. I should gave refrained after my initial comment.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Any country that requires women to wear high heels on the worlds most dangerous earthquake fault lines, should be taken to The Hauge!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I legit ask a question about pumps, google had multiple answers and get voted down... What's the deal?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

oldman_13:

More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement.

Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

What next? Are you going to demand waitresses to stop wearing glasses? Oh wait.

Your handle is very apt.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Finally interesting news which are not related to the stupid virus.

It is time to bring out refreshing news!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

a little bit of change is better than no change.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The kinda pumps meant in this article: https://images.app.goo.gl/LH2fcKsTTQ4tnxRK6

0 ( +0 / -0 )

More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement.

Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

Don’t like women being allowed to wear sensible shoes at work?

Find another century to live in.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Who cares what they have on their feet as long as they are comfortable?

Oh, hang on, no crocs. They are nasty.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

zichi

What are pumps?

British word for trainers, canvas shoes.

Incorrect. "Pumps" are ladies' high heel shoes.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Incorrect. "Pumps" are ladies' high heel shoes.

The meaning of the word ‘pumps’ changes depending on what has already been discussed here. It isn’t a question of correct or incorrect.

British English is far superior anyway ;)

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I for one didn't know this was an issue until it got media attention with kutoo. If it makes women uncomfortable, then sure, let them wear something more comfortable.

But this got me thinking. If women can get this change, then men could also raise their voices more for having to wear suits (especially in summer) while women don't have to. I saw that at my previous company where women could come in with their shifuku while men always needed to be suited up. One could argue that isn't fair either.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work.

What if they changed the uniform code? Then it's now the uniform code, lol

Look at the NBA - for the longest time, short shorts was the uniform code. Then people got uncomfortable seeing shorts so short, so they allowed longer shorts, and it's now the uniform code, lol

1 ( +2 / -1 )

oldman_13: "More P.C. nonsense in the "metoo" movement. Don't like uniform code find somewhere else to work."

What a sad, sad oldman. Sexism has no place in this day and age, bud. You can call that "politically correct" with a scowl on your face and want to go back to the "good old days" when women were barefoot and pregnant and have no place speaking their minds, you best plug your ears, close your eyes, and play reruns of 1950s TV in your mind. This is a move in the right direction in a nation and industry that is 50 years behind.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

British English is far superior anyway ;)

Let's not be silly. British English is not superior, it's simply Correct. Standard. Proper. The benchmark against which all variations are measured (and found wanting, by definition.)

Any other kind of English is just a regional abberation. Even British English is awash with regional variations.

If any ANA female staff member gets into trouble for turning up to work in gym shoes (as instructed) instead of Vinke's shiny monstrosities, it isn't her fault, it's the fault of the ANA management (or whoever decides these things) who failed to communicate in standard English.

The staff would probably be safer and more comfortable in gym shoes anyway, especially if there was an emergency.

Invalid CSRF

2 ( +6 / -4 )

The staff would probably be safer and more comfortable in gym shoes anyway

I think Doc Martens would be better. And more useful for dealing with unruly passengers.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I can see a lot of woman sighing with relief, no more blasted high heels! they must be hell to ware, especially on an airplane, trying to stand up whilst the airplane is traveling through turbulence, must be impossible, and the risk of damaging there ankles and back, which could lead to an law suit, at least some one has listened to the staff and decided to revoke this rule, as for a low heal like a court shoe is acceptable.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

gogogo don't waste our time with petty questions. You are on the internet, use it like a normal person.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

I have never heard "Mary Jane" called pumps in British English. Mary Jane is an American term for a closed, low-cut shoe with one or more straps across the instep.

I don't know where many of you are coming from, but MaryJane is dope, pot, bones, sticks, dubies etc...known as Marijuana.

I love the Ana outfits with the pumps. Once they get ready to do the service, drinks food etc., then they can put on the aprons and use flat shoes. Once the plane is ready for landing, change back and put those pretty scarfs back on as well.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

don't waste our time with petty questions. You are on the internet, use it like a normal person.

I googled 'pumps' and the images that came up were mainly of posh evening shoes with very high heels, not what the ANA management is presumably allowing their female staff to wear.

Mr Google doesn't always get it right. It is normal for gogogo to not know what 'pumps' are. (They're gym shoes. Obviously the ANA management don't know what they are, either.)

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@cleo: You are much better than this. You post sensible comments, well thought out , better than some of the rubbish/hysterical posts( including myself sometimes to rub certain people up the wrong way), that make sense and are all too prevalent here.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I think Doc Martens would be better. And more useful for dealing with unruly passengers.

Yeah, steelies for flights to Marbella, Magaluf etc.!

On the subject of DMs and other shoes, it is actually possible to make very comfortable shoes with raised heels. Some running shoes, esp. trail running ones, have heels that are 40mm high and people run 50 miles in a time in them. Even that Nike Vapor Fly marathon shoe everyone says is "cheating" is over 30mm at the heel. I don't see why the same materials couldn't be hidden inside a business shoe exterior.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

We are just taking about shoes folks. Just shoes

although Japanese companies like to control everything, anything

who are these controllers? Those grumpy old men

1 ( +2 / -1 )

i guess I hit few nerves. Must be many grumpy old men in this section

Airlines like to control every aspects of appearance, but they need to focus on safety first. They are suppose to be the first responders when things go wrong. How can they do their job if they are wear these restrictions

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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