Magazine

SriLankan launches newly designed cabin crew uniforms:

Soaring to higher planes with new look

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Adding glamour to the Sri Lankan features and the hospitable smile SriLankan Airlines has painted a new look to its staff. Read on the the stories behind the new colourful outlook

With colourful personalities and warm smiles, clad in trademark peacock-embellished Kandyan saris the charming women stand at the entrance to the aircraft. Bringing their palms together in graceful moves they greet visitors on board with a heartfelt Ayubowan wishing them long life and inviting them for a pleasant stay basking in their hospitality.

Senaka Bandaranayake. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage

Though the warmth has by no means differed the outlook of these young men and women took on a new wave of change as SriLankan Airlines introduced an exhilarating journey for its ground and cabin crew recently.

The airline had retained its iconic logo, the monera or the peacock. Soft hues of sea blue merged with the hued motifs of the peacock feather in electric orange mottled with dark, light blue and white add a fresh charm, modern appeal and contemporary ambience to the oriental Kandyan sari.

"It is after almost 30 years that the uniform takes on a new look. The old attire with its greenish tinge had done immense service to the airline in representing what SriLankan is all about. Since the country has undergone a dramatic change we felt that we too should take on a novel approach. We have given the whole industry a facelift and one aspect of this change is the uniform," SriLankan Airlines Inflight Service Manager Senaka Bandaranayake noted.

The bluish tint in the uniform represents not only the beautiful colour pallet from the peacock but the sky element emphasizing SriLankan Airlines' correlation to the sky along with the sea that surrounds our beautiful island. The flight stewards will sport dark blue pin striped jackets coupled with sky blue or white shirts and gray pants. A range of ties with peacock feather motifs had been introduced keeping the airline's emblem in mind.

The uniforms were designed by a group of indigenous designers of the Oriental Design Centre in Mattegoda. It took around one and a half years for them to finalize the designs through discussions with a committee of six members from the airline and the guidance of the senior management.

"Graduates from Moratuwa University, some of them trained at local and international design schools designed the uniforms. Manufacturing is done locally though the printing process f the saris takes place in India. We do not have the technological facilities to break off the border print with a pallu. The Kandyan sari comprises three pieces: the skirt, blouse and the pota. Instead of the hooks in the blouse we have introduced a zip, something unique. Instead of underskirts they will wear leggings. This will enable them to move quickly in emergency situations.

They will be encouraged to wear silver jewellery instead of gold to compliment the colours of the uniform. Magnets will fix the name tags onto the garments instead of pins," said Bandaranayake.

Keeping with the theme of the peacock, he also added that the airport staff and the ticket office staff's uniform print will represent the abstract version of the peacock feather.

Apart from the uniform changes, services and menus have been upgraded.

"We have introduced local dishes like Vandu Aappa, wood apple desserts, Pol Roti pizzas wrap-filled with seeni sambol or devilled chicken and Varaka (jackfruit) cheesecake to the cuisine on board our flights," he explained.

Nearly 139 flights take off every week with 12 cabin crew on board a wide body Airbus 330/ 340 and six in a narrow body A320. Around 640 cabin crew members make up the department.

Speaking about the nature of the job, Bandaranayake stated that though many think being a member of the cabin crew is an easy and glamorous task it is actually quite a tough responsibility. Recruits are trained for three months and have to obtain 90 percent of the cut-off marks or more. Their certificate to operate on board an aircraft as a crew member is renewed each year through the verification of knowledge on emergency procedures and drills.

Though the uniform had been launched, the roll out would only take place in April.

"There is a lot of excitement as they eagerly await to try on their new look. This had been a long anticipated change. We expect a boost to the morale of the staff and use it as a tool to reinforce change within the Company and bring it across to the outside world," he concluded.

Spicy chicken cacciatore

Ingredients

* 1 tbsp oil

* 4 chicken leg portions, skin on

* 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

* 1 medium red chilli, deseeded and 2tsp of vinegar

* tomato sauce

* 1-2 handfuls black olives salt chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve

Method:

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a deep, oven proof roasting pan that's big enough to fit the chicken in a single layer. Season the chicken pieces all over, let the chicken cook for seven to 10 minutes on each side until well browned. Scoop out the chicken with a slotted spoon and put to one side.

Add the peppers and chilli to the pan (there should still be plenty of fat left in it) and cook for 10 minutes until soft and beginning to brown at the edges. Pour away any excess fat, then pour in the wine and stir well for one to two minutes as it bubbles up. Tip the tomato sauce into the pan and stir again. Add a little water (up to 150ml) to achieve a thick, pouring consistency. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and scatter with the olives. Cover, bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for 15-20 minutes more to allow the chicken to crisp up. Spoon off any fat that has risen to the surface.

Yoga-Part XVI

Anjaniya Asana

(Crescent posture)

Stretch your left leg forward as much as possible. Put the right knee down as shown in the picture 1. Keep the fingers of both hands together. Breathe well while looking forward.

Be in this posture for 10 seconds.

Lift the hands as shown in the picture 2.

Bend the hands slightly backwards. Picture 3

Push your chest forward. Lift your head and try to look at your hands while pushing the hands backwards.

Benefits of this asana

This asana helps improve flexibility in the body. Enhances your beauty and the shape.

Dissolves excess fat deposited around the waist while controlling the bulging of the stomach.

A good exercise for the whole body.

Instructor: Roland Withanage (Dip. in Yoga - India)

Model: Rashmi Wijesinghe