Monday, 2 October, 2023
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Qantas: Australian airline relaxes gender-based uniform rules

Australian airline Qantas has relaxed its gender-based uniform rules, allowing male employees to wear makeup and have long hair.


Its new style guide means female employees will no longer have to wear makeup and heels while on duty.


Last year, an Australian trade union called on Qantas to move its "uniform policy into the 21st Century".
It comes after rival airlines eased their rules, with Virgin Atlantic adopting gender-neutral uniforms.


Along with being able to wear flat shoes, both women and men will be allowed to wear the same sorts of jewellery, including large watches.
The new rules also mean all employees, including pilots and flight attendants, can have long hair, if it is worn in a ponytail or bun.


"Fashions change, and so have our style guidelines over the years," Qantas said in a statement on Friday.
"We're proud of our diversity as well as bringing our guidelines up to date," it added.


The new rules also apply to employees of Qantas' budget airline Jetstar.
However, under the new policy Qantas workers will still have to keep tattoos covered up. The rules also specify which items of uniform can be worn together, including requiring tights or stockings to be worn with skirts.


Some New Zealanders with Maori heritage wear tattoos to mark their genealogy and heritage.
The announcement from Qantas came after some other airlines have relaxed their uniform policies.


In September, UK-based carrier Virgin Atlantic said it would take a "fluid approach" to uniforms, which allowed staff to choose what they wore to work "no matter their gender".