The sleeves are ink free.
Virgin Atlantic has become one of the few global air carriers to allow its cabin crew to display their tattoos, in a move the company says will allow workers to express their unique identities.
The cabin crew of the airline will be allowed to have tattoos below their neck from Tuesday.
Before the rule change, any uniformed employee had to cover up their tattoos with a long sleeve shirt, band aids or make-up.
Virgin Atlantic told Fortune that workers with tattoos had to request a long-sleeve shirt before the company changed its policy.
At Virgin Atlantic, we want everyone to be themselves and know that they belong, according to a statement from the chief people officer.
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.
If the tattoos depict nudity or profanities, they must be covered up. Prison-style knuckle tattoos can't be shown, according to The Guardian.
Virgin Atlantic said that it was currently reviewing its policy of covering neck and head tattoos.
Most airlines require cabin crew and uniformed staff to cover their tattoos while on duty, with the industry notorious for having strict requirements when it comes to how cabin crew should look.
Last year, United Airlines updated its policy to allow flight attendants to have visible tattoos if they are no bigger than their work badges.
Air New Zealand has allowed its employees to display non-offensive tattoos while in uniform.
Virgin Atlantic's policy relaxation comes as the airline sector faces a talent crunch that has seen some companies offering $1,000 onboarding bonuses to new cabin crew members.
Virgin Atlantic will reopen its cabin crew recruitment process later this week. 5,000 applications were received for 400 roles.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
