Abercrombie jet rules: wear boxer briefs and flip flops
Male models who work on Abercrombie & Fitch's private jet are required to wear boxer briefs and staff must reply "no problem" to demands made by its chief executive, according to claims made in a US court filing.
Abercrombie's “Aircraft Standards” manual, which requires staff who work on the fashion retailer's Gulfstream G550 jet to play Phil Collins' Take Me Home on return flights, was disclosed as part of an age discrimination case brought by a former pilot against chief executive Michael Jeffries.
The 40-page manual instructs crew members to wear flip flops and a "spritz" of the fashion retailer's cologne to work, and bans them from wearing a coat outside in temperatures above 50 degrees (10 degrees celsius).
Staff are instructed to respond to Mr Jeffries' requests in a specific way. "When Michael, Matthew [Smith, Mr Jeffries' partner], or a guest make a request, respond by saying 'No problem.' This should be used in place of phrases like, 'sure' or, 'just a minute'," the manual states. The manual also includes a six point plan on how to compile and present the company's daily and weekly reports to Mr Jeffries. Staff should carefully insert reports into a binder and "bring Michael's lucky wallet to him" when presenting the binders, it says.
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Bloomberg show that staff are instructed not to “expose the toilet paper and do not fold the end square”. The manual includes directions for serving Mr Smith, including his preference for Assam tea in the morning and Darjeeling "after 2pm".
Mr Jeffries has come under fire for his flying habits in the past. In 2010, the board agreed to pay him $4m (£2.5m) to limit his personal use of the company jet to $200,000 annually. In an e-mailed statement, Abercrombie director Craig Stapleton told Bloomberg that the board supported Mr Jeffries’ strategy.
A lawyer for the firm added that the pilot's lawsuit was "without merit".