Qantas has revealed it will ditch its uniform for first time in over a decade

It’s out with the old and in with the new, as Australia’s national carrier reveals a major change not seen since 2013 for the airline.

It’s out with the old and in with the new — after a solid stint in the cabin for almost 12 years, Qantas will dump its current uniform in favour of a complete redesign.

Passenger’s on board Australia’s national carrier are familiar with the signature navy, red and fuchsia colour theme — but after a string of major changes hurtling towards the airline over the next two years 2027 will mark the end of that uniform’s era.

Qantas will unveil a new uniform in 2027. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

The airline said a redesign is no simple process, with opinions taken from all 17,500 employees who wear the uniform day in, day out.

“We have ambitious plans for the future and transforming the way we reflect the brand is critical to that,” Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson said in a statement.

“Our uniform represents the Qantas spirit all over the world. With a vast and growing international and domestic network, a historic fleet renewal program underway and the final frontier of global aviation just around the corner it’s time to define a new look for our people that reflects where we are heading.

Hudson said the redesign will be thrown out to Australian designers, who will take what Qantas cabin crew and ground staff wear into the airline’s next era.

Out with the old and in with the new. The national airline will debut a new uniform. Picture: Calum Robertson

The uniform will look completely different by 2027.

“While the uniform style may have changed, what hasn’t changed is the pride our people have in wearing it, which is why we are putting them at the core of the design process,” she said.

“Our people have loved wearing the current design, which was created by Martin Grant in 2013, and I want to thank him for his partnership over the course of the last decade.”

Some of the previous airline uniform designers include Peter Morrissey, Yves Saint Laurent, George Gross and Harry Who, and Emilio Pucci.

Qantas will time the new uniform just months after Project Sunrise is set to launch.

It is understood that once the more than 17,000 employees have been surveyed, the next uniform designer will be announced in the coming months with Qantas planning to debut the new design in 2027.

The airline intends to launch “Project Sunrise” in mid-2026, using the newly ordered A350-1000.

12 of these aircraft were ordered in May 2022, and will have the ability to operate flights from Sydney to London and New York direct, with the direct route significantly reducing point-to-point travel time (up to four hours compared with one-stop flights).