Like most airlines, Finnair treats its cabin crew as the visible face of the brand, and that kind of responsibility comes with specific and detailed appearance standards.
Some of these rules catch candidates off guard. Finnair has a reputation as a liberal, progressive airline, so it’s easy to assume the grooming standards will be relaxed to match. In practice, candidates are often surprised by just how specific the rules are, particularly around tattoos and nail varnish.
Tattoos: What’s Actually Allowed
Visible tattoos aren’t allowed at Finnair. If your tattoo is fully covered by the uniform, that’s fine. If any part of it is visible, it isn’t permitted.
Where a tattoo falls somewhere the uniform doesn’t cover, most commonly the neck or hands, it has to be covered on every single flight, either with makeup or with skin tape.
Worth Knowing: Finnair offers a variety of different uniform pieces that will help cover tattoos on the arms and legs, but tattoos on the wrists, hands, neck and face will need to be more carefully managed. Unlike some airlines, Finnair allows the use of skin tape to cover tattoos, but fabric arm sleeves and the like aren’t acceptable.
Hair
Hair length dictates the rules here rather than a single fixed style:
- If your hair doesn’t touch your shoulders, you can wear it open.
- If your hair touches your shoulders, it has to be tied up.
- A ponytail can be worn open up to 15cm in length. Beyond that, it needs to be tied up, though once it’s tied back, you’re free to style it however you like.
- A scrunchie or a dark-coloured plastic clip is permitted to help with styling.
Makeup
Makeup isn’t mandatory at Finnair, but if you do wear it, the standard is light and neutral rather than a full, dramatic look.
Lipstick or lip gloss is expected to be worn throughout the flight, in red, pink, or pearly shades. If you wear false eyelashes or lash extensions, the maximum length permitted is 12mm.
Nails
Nail polish is required, though a clear polish satisfies the requirement if you’d rather not wear colour. Shades of pink and red are both permitted, but darker shades aren’t.
Nail length is capped at roughly a third of your natural nail bed, which works out to about 4mm past the fingertip.
Uniform and Accessories
Finnair cabin crew choose between a skirt, dress, or trousers as part of the uniform. If you wear a skirt or dress, stockings are required, in a denier of between 20 and 40.
The uniform includes a hat, known as the “suikka,” but wearing it isn’t mandatory. A scarf is also optional, though if you do wear one, it can stay on throughout the flight regardless of the weather.
Insight: All accessories, including gloves and umbrella, need to be black in colour. If you’re building out a uniform kit before you start, it’s worth buying accessory pieces in black from the outset rather than assuming a near-black shade will pass inspection.
Jewellery
- Earrings: One pair is permitted. Studs or small loops are allowed, up to a maximum of 12mm.
- Facial piercings: Not permitted.
- Watch: Wearing a watch is required. It needs to be a neutral colour, although activity trackers and smart watches are permitted.
- Rings: Up to four rings are allowed in total, though most crew wear far fewer than that in practice. Thumb rings aren’t permitted.
- Bracelet: A simple, thin bracelet is allowed.
Shoes
Shoes can be almost any style, provided they’re black. Heels are allowed, but anything higher than 45mm isn’t permitted while flying.
Finnair was one of the first European airlines to allow cabin crew to wear sneakers rather than formal dress shoes. Cabin crew can buy and wear their own plain black sneakers, but the airline also offers a custom-designed sneaker by local brand Karhu.
