What is the etiquette when it comes to pyjamas or sleeper suits given out by airlines? Is it okay to wear another airline’s pyjamas when flying on an unrelated carrier or is that a total faux pas?
Certain airlines have been giving out sleepwear for years now. You can nab yourself some on overnight flights with airlines such as Qatar Airways and Qantas in business class. In first class, you receive them on airlines such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific.
Wearing Another Airline’s Pyjamas
One thing I have noticed about changing on board from jeans, t-shirt and jacket into airline pyjamas is how much more relaxing the flight is. Switching from constricting to loose clothing makes a vast difference for me when it comes to comfort.
Anyway, I had cause to fly with Cathay Pacific recently, and sleepwear is not issued on their flights in business class. Instead, I decided to wear a set given to me by Qatar Airways when I last flew business class with them.
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- It occurred to me during the flight!
Once the seat belt sign went off after take-off on each of the four flights I took with them, I headed straight to the toilet to change. This meant I had the Qatar Airways pyjamas on virtually the entire time. So what happened?
Nothing, nothing at all. The professional Cathay Pacific crews did not pass a single remark about my choice of sleepwear. They had ample opportunity to as well, but not a word.
Overall Thoughts
It appears there is no problem when you wear another airline’s pyjamas on a flight. I guess it makes no difference to anyone what you wear and you might as well be comfortable on board.
While I haven’t come across any other people doing the same thing, a quick look around online shows it is not uncommon. I’ll certainly be doing it again, though I can’t really see me wearing first class pyjamas when flying economy class!
Have you ever chosen to wear another airline’s pyjamas on an unrelated airline? Did you get any looks or comments from anyone? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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I wear pajamas from other airlines (Emirates, Eva, Swiss) when I fly on airlines that do not provide PJs to their business-class customers. I have never had a flight attendant comment that I was wearing a competitor’s pajamas, most likely because the flight attendant is being professional, or perhaps because they are slightly embarrassed that their own airlines does not provide such an amenity in business class.
Good to know I’m not the only one, and also nice to hear the situation is the same where the crew don’t make mention of it. Thanks very much for the comment!
Surprised that SQ business class doesn’t give out pyjamas but I wore my lovely QR pyjamas on both overnight flights this week. No one mentioned a thing. Some toilets are a hassle to get changed in and occasionally other passengers give you a look. Wearing loose clothing onboard overnight flights is a top tip to getting a better night sleep. I’ve been doing it for years!
Yes, I wish I had known that trick about the loose clothing earlier. I find flying far more relaxing when I’m not wearing constricting clothes. Great to hear SQ didn’t pass remark on your pyjamas too. Thanks for the comment!
Zowie, remember when we were so naive we’d wear skin-tight jeans on a X-country flight? Maturity is a wonderful thing.
Hahaha so so true!
Never wear pyama’s. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just I’m very tall and find it impossible to change into them in the toilet.
Ahh yes, space is very limited! It would be nice to have a change area separate from the toilets, really. It’s not exactly hygienic to be changing in a toilet! Thanks for the comment!
While I don’t tend to wear pajamas on flights, my wife loves them. She tends to carry some older Cathay first class pajamas (Shanghai Tang, I believe) to travel so she can reuse them and we can gift the new ones to family. After a fair number of flights, we have never hit a problem. In fact, I’d say that it’s kind of a symbol of worldliness to wear another airline’s set. NBD, I’d say.
I need to try to snag me some Cathay Pacific first class pyjamas. I do the same, I re-use the set I have and I give the others away to friends. I find the pyjamas incredibly comfortable really. Thanks for sharing your experience there, appreciate it!
Never have gotten pajamas on a flight but I do have several airline flight bags, TWA/Pan Am/British Caledonian that are each useful in different ways. Although all 3 are now defunct if one of them works for me I take it. I’ve actually gotten comments from a few crew members that they “like my bag”. I think its probably more of a conversation starter than an insult to whatever carrier you’re flying on. As far as the QR/CX thing with YOUR PJs, at least they are both oneworld members. And you look cozy as all get out!
I think when it comes from a defunct airline and is an original bag, it’s sure to get a remark from the crew. A lot of them are into flying and aviation, so they’ll know about those airlines, or indeed know people who worked for them. That’s pretty cool! Haha – true, they are the same alliance so there is that! It was very cosy indeed. Thanks for the comment!!
Good grief, who would have ever thought to think about this? My first pajamas were from Virgin-Atlantic (I probably have six pairs and use them on every trip) and they’re lightweight black jersey with a tiny little Virgin logo sewn into a seam. They’re so classy looking that you could put on a scarf and wear them to breakfast. And I have, many times. I don’t get them any more, they’ve made them too short, so I hand-wash the ones I have! All the other PJs I’ve seen are ugly. But I digress … I’d wear these PJs on any… Read more »
That’s great to hear the Virgin Atlantic ones are so lovely! I wouldn’t wear my Qatar Airways ones to breakfast, as you couldn’t disguise them for what they are. You are right, I have heard others say the cabin crew have commented positively, even to the point of asking for impressions of the differences in service. Looks like I’m going to have to try Virgin Atlantic to get a set of their pyjamas, after your comment. Thanks for that!