British Airways Cabin Crew Appearance Standards: Tattoos, Hair, Makeup and Grooming Rules

British Airways sets out its appearance standards in more detail than most UK airlines, and the guidance covers everything from tattoos and hair height to the number of rings you can wear on each hand. Every requirement below comes from the airline’s own official uniform and grooming guidance for cabin crew.

The tone of that guidance is friendlier than you might expect, but the rules underneath it are precise. Several of them are measured in centimetres, and a few exist for safety reasons, not style.

Tattoos: What’s Actually Allowed

British Airways does not permit visible tattoos, and the airline has confirmed that this policy is unchanged. Tattoos on the hands, fingers, neck, and face are not permitted at all, because the uniform cannot cover them.

Tattoos elsewhere are acceptable as long as they cannot be seen while you are in uniform. The uniform covers the arms and legs, and British Airways names three ways of keeping a tattoo hidden:

• Long sleeves: crew with arm tattoos need to wear a long-sleeved shirt or blouse that covers the tattoo completely.
• Specialist cover-up makeup: permitted, but only underneath the uniform or tights.
• White or nude undergarments: permitted on the same basis, worn beneath the uniform to stop a tattoo showing through.

British Airways now sits at the stricter end of UK carriers on this. Virgin Atlantic, for example, relaxed its rules in 2022 to allow visible tattoos.

Hair

Hair must be clean, neat, and professional whenever you are in uniform. The length should be broadly even throughout. Layers are fine, but very different lengths and severe undercuts are not, and a fringe cannot cover the eyes.

• Colour: any colour is acceptable as long as it looks natural.
• Height: hair cannot be backcombed or built up higher than 5cm. This applies to every style, including short, spiky cuts.
• Length: hair that falls below the bottom of the collar has to be tied up, and that includes the tail of a ponytail. Hair that sits above the collar can be worn down, provided it is pushed back from the face.

The accepted styles for longer hair are:

• Buns: worn at the back of the head, in the middle or at the bottom, and in proportion. A hair doughnut can be used, but the finished bun should be no wider than your head.
• Updos and plaits: the chignon and the braided French twist are both named as preferred styles.
• Ponytails: worn no higher than the centre of the back of the head.
• Braids, twists, and locs: all permitted, pulled back and secured. Beads on cornrows or braids should be naturally coloured.

British Airways also states that it supports afro-textured hairstyles, including afros, being worn with the uniform. Shaved sides are allowed, but shapes or patterns shaved into the hair are not.

Hair accessories should be small, subtle, and in colours that match the uniform. Alice bands are allowed if they are slim and neutral, and have no teeth. Accessories cannot get in the way of putting on a smoke hood or risk damaging its seal.

Facial Hair

Beards, moustaches, and stubble are all permitted, which makes British Airways more relaxed than Gulf airlines like Emirates or Etihad Airways:

• Beards: clean, groomed, and well maintained, and no longer than 1.5cm at the points where a smoke hood’s facial seal sits. The neck must be clean-shaven.
• Moustaches: neatly trimmed, no longer than 1.5cm, with the top lip visible.
• Stubble: acceptable, as long as it is tidy and kept to one even length while it grows in.

Makeup

Makeup is optional at British Airways. If you choose to wear it, the standard is subtle and natural.

• Eyebrows: natural, neat, and tidy, with gel or pencil kept minimal.
• Eyeshadow: subtle tones such as nudes and beiges. A slight shimmer is acceptable.
• Eyeliner and mascara: black or brown, with eyeliner drawn as a soft line.
• False eyelashes: permitted if they look natural and are well maintained.
• Lips: a tint of colour is fine, in a shade that complements the uniform. Lip liner should blend into the lipstick.

Nails

Nails can extend no more than 1cm beyond the fingertip. They should be rounded, square, or oval, with no points, and kept to the same length where possible. The shape rule has a practical basis too, since pointed nails could damage a smoke hood’s neck seal.

Polish is allowed in any colour except neons and black. It has to be chip-free and a single colour, with no patterns, prints, glitter, or jewels. A classic French manicure is acceptable.

Jewellery and Piercings

• Earrings: one small, discreet stud per earlobe, round or square, and matching if you wear a pair. A single stud in one ear is also fine.
• Other piercings: no facial piercings. Any other piercings must be removed before duty, and a piercing cannot be hidden under a plaster.
• Rings: up to five in total, with no more than three on one hand. Each ring should be smaller than your knuckle.
• Bracelets: up to two, simple and discreet. Solid bangles without a fastening are not allowed for safety reasons. The Sikh bangle (kara) is permitted with long or short sleeves.
• Necklaces: allowed, but they must be hidden beneath the uniform.
• Watches: analogue or digital, with a simple strap and a face in proportion to your wrist. You can wear a watch or a fitness tracker, but not both.

Eyewear

Glasses should be smart, professional, and in proportion to your face. Subtle frames are preferred, with tortoiseshell given as a good example, and gemstones or diamantes kept to a minimum. Contact lenses must be clear or a natural colour.

Sunglasses can only be worn outside or on the flight deck, and must come off whenever you speak to a customer. Glasses of any kind cannot be worn on a cord around the neck, for health and safety reasons.

Footwear

This is the one area where the guidance is split by male and female uniform.

Female cabin crew:

• A classic court shoe in black leather or patent, with no suede, cut-outs, platforms, chains, or bows.
• A straight block heel or classic stiletto, up to 9cm (3.5 inches), in the same colour as the shoe. A pointed toe is fine.
• Smart leather loafers with a defined heel, and a sole no thicker than 12.5mm.
• Slim-fitting ankle boots, but only with trousers or the jumpsuit.

Male cabin crew:

• Plain black leather shoes or brogues. A simple buckle is the only decoration permitted.
• Smart, slim-fitting ankle or Chelsea boots.

High heels are optional. Crew change into cabin shoes once they are onboard and before customers board, and those have a maximum heel height of 25mm.

What These Rules Mean in Practice

The British Airways standard comes down to three ideas: natural, discreet, and practical. There is more room for personal choice than at the Gulf carriers, with optional makeup, permitted beards, and almost any nail colour. The tattoo rule is the exception, and it is the one most likely to decide whether an application is worth making.

At an Assessment Day, treat every rule above as if you were already in uniform. Recruiters will not expect you to own the shoes, but they will notice visible tattoos, facial piercings, and hair that sits outside the guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions