The local sex industry is now selling costumes that look the same with the one used by Japan Airlines (JAL) flight attendant uniforms. Being famous and highly hunted by fetishists, several shops now have joined the craze and went on imitating the carrier’s uniform.

Since the announcement of Japan’s flag carrier’s bankruptcy, many cabin crew, being subjected to mass layoffs, are tempted to have their uniforms on sale to gain money. Japan Airlines expects that many of its uniforms are now being sold in the black market.

Costume designer Yu Teramoto said that it is nearly impossible to purchase an authentic JAL uniform in the black market because the company itself exerted great efforts to avoid the scenario. JAL has several ways of tracking their own uniforms, including putting serial numbers on each item and keeping a record on the whereabouts of the garments.

The airline company further added that the uniforms which flight attendants use are sole properties of JAL. Under the management policy, it is highly prohibited for staffs to sell their uniforms.

Currently, the Japanese airline is planning to follow All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) way in solving the problem by sewing computer chips into its flight attendant uniforms.

This is not the first time that JAL made into the headlines due to its uniforms. Earlier, the uniforms worn by several of its flight attendants in the business class lounge were stolen and later appeared in an internet auction website. The airliner was forced to purchase back the uniforms for $2500 each.