Qantas, the Australian airline, has recently made changes to its uniform policy, eliminating gender-based rules and allowing more freedom of expression for its employees.
Male employees are now permitted to wear makeup and have long hair, while female employees are no longer required to wear makeup and heels during their duties.
This decision follows a call from an Australian trade union last year, urging Qantas to modernize its “uniform policy into the 21st Century”.
Other airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic, have already taken steps to relax their uniform rules and introduce gender-neutral options.
In addition to the flexibility in footwear, both male and female employees will now be allowed to wear the same types of jewelry, including larger watches.
Under the updated regulations, all Qantas employees, including pilots and flight attendants, are now allowed to have long hair, as long as it is tied back in a ponytail or bun.
In a statement released on Friday, Qantas expressed “Fashions change, and so have our style guidelines over the years.” The airline emphasized its commitment by saying, “We’re proud of our diversity as well as bringing our guidelines up to date.”
The relaxed rules on grooming and appearance also extend to employees of Jetstar, Qantas’ budget airline subsidiary.
Imogen Sturni, a representative of the Australian Services Union (ASU), which actively advocated for Qantas to revise its uniform policy, hailed the decision as a “big win for workers”.
According to Ms. Sturni, “Some of the dress code requirements were bordering on ridiculous, such as makeup style guides and a requirement for women to wear smaller watches than men.”
However, the revised policy still retains certain provisions, including the requirement for Qantas employees to cover up any visible tattoos. The rules also outline specific combinations of uniform items, such as the obligation to wear tights or stockings with skirts.
Qantas’ announcement aligns with a trend observed among other airlines that have recently implemented more lenient uniform policies. In September, Virgin Atlantic, a UK-based carrier, introduced a “fluid approach” to uniforms, granting staff the freedom to choose their attire for work “no matter their gender”.
However, the airline later clarified that the relaxed uniform policy did not extend to the crew on board the England football team’s flight to the World Cup in Qatar. This decision came after criticism directed towards Qatar for its treatment of LGBT individuals.
Virgin Atlantic initially introduced the new uniform policy in the UK, US, and Israel, citing these countries as being “more accepting of non-binary identities allowing more self-expression”.
In 2019, Air New Zealand made headlines by lifting its ban on visible tattoos for staff members, acknowledging the importance of allowing “employees to express their individuality and cultural heritage”. This change was particularly significant for individuals of Maori heritage in New Zealand, as tattoos play a role in marking their genealogy and cultural background.
