In an effort to be more inclusive, the Australian-based airline has announced that male cabin crew employees will be able to wear makeup, while women will be able to ditch their high heels.
Other highlights of the modified uniform policy update include: employees of any gender can wear long hair in a ponytail or bun, all employees can wear the same style of jewellery, including watch sizes, and clear-framed glasses are now permitted.
The airline has implemented a ‘uniform capsules’ model in place of gender-specific uniform guidelines. This new capsule model outlines which uniforms can be worn together, as well as the necessary make-up and grooming.
This new regulation also applies to employees of Jetsar, Qantas’ low-cost airline.
The revamp comes after an Australian trade body labelled Qantas’ prior uniform policy “outdated” and urged the airline to bring its policy “into the twenty-first century.”
The prior policy, according to Imogen Sturni of the Australian Services Union, featured ludicrous restrictions such as “makeup style guides and a requirement for women to wear smaller watches than men.”
Qantas noted that their uniform requirements have always strived to follow modern trends in response to shifting fashions and the desire for greater flexibility.
“We’re proud of our diversity, and these changes will make wearing our uniform more comfortable and practical, as well as bringing our guidelines up to date,” the airline said in a statement.
“Our iconic uniforms are loved all over the world – and they’re not going anywhere.” Customers should expect the same high standards of grooming and attention to detail that Qantas and Jetstar are known for.”
Qantas’ move to modify its dress code and place less emphasis on the gender binary comes nearly a year after Virgin Atlantic adopted a more inclusive uniform policy.
Job applications more than doubled after the UK-based airline declared that all cabin staff could display their pronouns on name badges and wear attire that indicate how they identify or present themselves.
However, in September, the corporation made a modest deviation from that policy by scrapping it in order to protect staff travelling with England’s World Cup team on their trip to Qatar.
Yum Yum , who doesn’t love a person in uniform?
