Tickled ink: Virgin Atlantic allows cabin crew to display tattoos

Virgin Atlantic is the first UK airline to allow its cabin crew to display tattoos.

The airline is to announce a change in policy a month after it launched a branding campaign and as the aviation industry scrambles to recruit more people in key roles.

Sir Richard Branson's airline, like most carriers, only hires staff who can hide their ink work under their uniforms.

In line with Virgin Atlantic's focus on inclusion and individuality, restrictions are being relaxed.

At Virgin Atlantic, we want everyone to be themselves and know that they belong. Many people use tattoos to express their unique identities and our customer-facing and uniformed colleagues should not be excluded from doing so if they choose.

The airline is considering relaxing the rules on facial and neck tattoos at a later date. It's not okay to have tattoos with swearing, nudity, violence, drugs or alcohol. Prison-style love/hate knuckle tattoos will not be allowed.

Those with full-arm tattoos who used to have to wear long-sleeved shirts instead of the standard short-sleeved version while on duty would be helped by Virgin Atlantic. Others have concealed tattoos. The airline said that plane tattoos are popular among crew.

When she makes her first flight next month, she will be able to have her tattoos on show because she has just completed her training as a cabin crew.

Terry Nunn has tattoos of London landmarks. I can show them my tattoos as well.

I'm happy that we have changed the policy to allow us to express ourselves.

Virgin Atlantic was one of the first airlines to allow cabin crew to wear makeup. Female crew were forced to wear makeup until the rule was scrapped and they could wear trousers if they wanted. Female crew on full-service international airlines are still trained in applying makeup to airline regulations, but the move was seen as a significant change in the industry.

Virgin's latest branding campaign shows diverse passengers and crew to the soundtrack of "I am what I am" and includes one with multiple tongue piercings. Virgin said that piercings would not be allowed for crew.

Thousands of cabin crew were laid off during the Pandemic as the aviation industry struggled to find enough staff to fill its posts. In January, Virgin Atlantic hired 500 additional crew, and is expecting to add another 300 as demand for air travel returns.

British Airways has canceled hundreds of flights this summer due to staff shortages, while easyJet has taken rows of seats out of some of its planes to allow them to be flown with fewer cabin crew.

Some airlines have refused to hire or even fire crew with discreet tattoos that would be hidden under their uniforms because of strict rules on tattoos in aviation.