United Airlines to allow staff to wear makeup, nail polish and have long hair regardless of gender

The airline said it wants to be more gender neutral.
The airline said it wants to be more gender neutral. Photo credit: United Airlines

United Airlines is set to become a whole lot more united, with a new set of appearance standards for customer-facing staff.

The airline is relaxing rules around hair length, make-up and nail polish and tattoos. The changes apply to all staff regardless of gender.

A change in rules was signalled last month when the airline told staff it had "spent the last several years listening to the feedback we've received from our employees," and it had realised its "customer-facing teammates can provide an even better experience for our customers when they look and feel their best". 

The announcement to staff was accompanied by an image of a male identifying crew member wearing makeup and coloured nail polish, as well as a rainbow badge on his jacket.

"We're confident that these modernised and more gender-inclusive appearance standards will provide a more authentic representation of the people and cultures that make United the company it is today," Kate Gebo, the executive vice president of the airline's department of human resources department said.

United Airlines to allow staff to wear makeup, nail polish and have long hair regardless of gender
Photo credit: United Airlines

The changes will initially only impact customer service staff and flight attendants, but the airline plans to implement the same rules to all staff including pilots and ramp workers within a few months.

Staff will be permitted to have visible tattoos on their arms, wrists, ankles and feet, as long as they are no larger than a United badge and are not offensive to customers or fellow employees.

United Airlines to allow staff to wear makeup, nail polish and have long hair regardless of gender
Photo credit: United Airlines

Employees can also wear one nose piercing, as long as it's a small stud and does not interfere with any work and safety regulations. 

Hair may be worn down, so long as it is shoulder length or shorter. Nail polish and decorations will be permitted for all employees, as long as they are understated and complement the airline's uniform.

Makeup may be worn by all employees regardless of gender, as long as it is applied conservatively "so that it looks natural," the new guidelines state.

The new policy will take effect on September 15.