Qatar Airways has some of the strictest appearance and grooming standards of any airline in the world. Its cabin crew are the face of a five-star brand, and the airline expects every one of them to look the part, on every flight, from the moment they report for duty until the moment they are at the layover hotel or back home.
This guide covers everything you need to know: how appearance is checked, the rules on tattoos, scars and weight, and the detailed standards for hair, makeup, nails, jewellery and uniform, for both female and male cabin crew.
How Appearance Is Checked
Qatar Airways does not leave appearance to chance. Cabin crew are checked twice before every flight:
- At the crew report centre. Grooming standards officers are stationed around the crew report centre in Doha, and they check crew as they report for duty.
- In the briefing room. The Cabin Service Manager and Cabin Supervisor will check their crew again during the pre-flight briefing.
The standard does not drop once the aircraft doors close. Crew are expected to look as polished at the end of a long flight as they did at the start of the day.
Tattoos
Qatar Airways does not allow visible tattoos while in uniform. Any tattoo must be completely covered by the uniform.
This is checked at the Assessment Day as part of a formal process. Candidates undergo a physical check for visible tattoos and scars, not just an informal glance. Like the reach test, the tattoo check is pass or fail, and there is no workaround for either.
The uniform itself makes this stricter than it sounds. The blouses and shirts are slightly sheer, so female crew wear a camisole underneath, and male crew wear a white short-sleeved T-shirt. A tattoo covered by these layers will not be visible. Anything outside them will be, and that means arm tattoos are completely out.
Leg tattoos are also a hard no for female cabin crew. There is a trouser option in the female uniform, but it does not change the rule, so a tattoo anywhere on the legs will rule you out.
❌ What isn’t permitted: Wrist or arm tattoos, leg or ankle tattoos (for female crew), tattoos on arms, shoulders, or neck.
Insight: For years, Qatar Airways banned tattoos entirely, whether or not they could be seen. Some older guides online still say this. In practice, the airline can no longer realistically check what is under a uniform, so the policy today is a no-visible-tattoo standard, similar to the other major Gulf carriers. If a tattoo is hidden by the uniform and its under-layers, it should not stop you. If it is not, it will.
Skin, Scars and Marks
Qatar Airways looks at your whole appearance, not just what you can change with makeup or a haircut.
- Permanent marks: A visible birthmark or a noticeable scar, even one from childhood, could make you ineligible to join. This is decided at the recruitment stage, and through no fault of your own.
- Temporary marks: Once you are flying, a visible bruise, a large spot, a stye or acne could mean you are grounded until it clears up.
Weight
Much like Emirates, Qatar Airways has a weight management policy. The general rule is that your weight should be in proportion to your height, and crew are expected to stay within that standard throughout their career, not just when they join.
How this is judged is not always clear-cut. BMI is one measure, but the assessment can also be subjective. A simple test is whether you still fit the uniform you were issued when you first joined.
Crew judged to be overweight or underweight can be placed on a weight management plan. Once on the plan, you will be expected to attend regular weigh-ins, and you may be grounded until you reach the target weight. In extreme cases, being unable to reach it can lead to dismissal.
Fragrance
Qatar Airways does not want a crew member’s fragrance to overpower a passenger. Oud may be hugely popular in Qatar and across the Gulf, but it is not something cabin crew are encouraged to wear on duty. The standard is to be clean and as close to scent-free as possible, so you are never a distraction to the people you are serving.
For Female Cabin Crew
Hair
- Hair must be a natural colour.
- Hair must be worn away from the face.
- Overly short styles are not permitted. Hair must reach at least the top of the collar.
- Hair can be worn loose only if it sits between the top and bottom of the collar.
- Hair longer than the bottom of the collar must be worn in a ponytail, bun or braid.
- Ponytails cannot be longer than six inches.
- A company-issued scrunchie and hairnet must be worn with a ponytail or bun.
Makeup
Makeup is mandatory. As a minimum, female cabin crew must wear foundation, mascara, lipstick and blush.
Lipstick is a requirement, not an option.
- Permitted: Burgundy, rose and pink, in a pearly or satin finish.
- Not permitted: Nude or clear, orange, metallic silver, and purple.
Eyeliner must be brown, grey or charcoal.
Blush must be rose, peach or pink.
Eyeshadow cannot be glitter, green, grey or blue.
Makeup rules at a glance:
- Foundation, mascara, lipstick and blush are the minimum
- Lipstick in burgundy, rose or pink, with a pearly or satin finish
- Eyeliner in brown, grey or charcoal only
- Blush in rose, peach or pink only
- No glitter, green, grey or blue eyeshadow
Nails
Nails must be polished and cut to the same length. Female cabin crew are expected to have a manicure at least twice a month.
- Permitted: Clear, rose, burgundy (Qatar Airways’ brand colour), pink and a French manicure.
- Not permitted: Metallic gold or silver, white, matte, neon, orange, glitter and purple (that would be giving Etihad vibes).
Earrings
- One earring per ear, in the lower lobe only.
- Earrings must be round studs no larger than one centimetre in diameter.
Worth knowing: If your ears are pierced, you must wear an earring in the designated hole. An empty piercing is not acceptable, so a bare earlobe on a pierced ear is just as much a breach of the standard as the wrong earring.
Uniform
- The hat must be worn whenever you are in public view, except between the aircraft doors closing and landing.
- Stockings must be worn whenever you are in uniform, and must be replaced immediately if they have a hole or a ladder. Carry a spare pair.
For Male Cabin Crew
NEW: Beards are now allowed. From 1 November 2026, male Qatar Airways cabin crew can wear a beard for the first time. Qatar Airways confirmed the change to us, saying crew “will be able to wear a neat and well-groomed beard”. The airline has updated its Image and Style standards, and any beard must be kept neat and in line with its wider grooming rules. Read our full story.
Hair
- Hair must not be longer than the top of the collar.
- Hair must be clean and styled using the minimum amount of product.
- Spiky, cropped and close-shaven styles are not permitted.
Facial Hair
From 1 November 2026, male cabin crew can choose between a beard and a clean-shaven look.
- Beards are permitted, as long as they are neat, well-groomed, and in line with Qatar Airways’ grooming standards.
- Clean-shaven is still an option. If you choose to shave, the standard is a clean, smooth finish.
- A moustache has long been permitted, trimmed so it sits above the top lip.
Qatar Airways hasn’t published its full beard rules outside the airline, so details such as maximum length and how patchy growth is treated are not yet public. Expect them to be strict. When Etihad allowed beards, it set a length of 3mm to 6mm, ruled out patchy beards and goatees, and banned visible stubble while a beard is growing out.
If you choose to stay clean-shaven and your stubble grows back quickly, don’t be surprised if a purser asks you to shave mid-flight on an ultra-long-haul service.
Makeup
- Male cabin crew are expected not to wear any makeup
- In the past, some crew members have warned of severe consequences for wearing tinted moisturiser
Insight: With this change, Qatar Airways joins Etihad Airways in allowing male cabin crew to wear beards. That leaves Emirates as the only one of the big three Gulf airlines that still expects its male crew to be clean-shaven, at least for now.
For All Cabin Crew
Watch
A watch is mandatory for both female and male cabin crew.
- It must be a moderate size, with a plain design and a plain watch face.
- The strap must be plain, in brown, black, gold or silver.
- Smartwatches are not permitted.
Rings, Necklaces and Bracelets
- Rings: A maximum of two, one on each hand. Rings with diamonds or any other stone are not permitted, with the exception of a wedding ring with a moderately sized stone.
- Necklaces and bracelets: Not permitted at all.
Shoes
Only company-issued shoes can be worn, and they must be well polished at all times.
Appearance at the Assessment Day
Your appearance is assessed from the moment you arrive at a Qatar Airways Open Day or Assessment Day. Recruiters are not expecting you to arrive in a Qatar Airways uniform, but they are looking for someone who already understands the standard and could meet it. Dress in smart business attire, keep your grooming close to the airline’s standards, and expect the formal checks for tattoos and scars, along with the reach test.
This page is part of our ongoing coverage of Qatar Airways cabin crew recruitment, including the airline's working conditions and recent developments as well as the recruitment process itself. If you're getting ready to apply, here's where to go next.
