Qantas, the Australian airline, has made significant changes to its uniform rules by relaxing gender-based restrictions. The new style guide allows male employees to wear makeup and have

long hair, while female employees will no longer be required to wear makeup and heels while on duty.

The move comes in response to a call from an Australian trade union last year, urging Qantas to modernize its "uniform policy into the 21st Century." Other airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic, have also recently adopted gender-neutral uniform policies.

Under the new rules, both men and women at Qantas can wear flat shoes and similar types of jewelry, including large watches. Additionally, employees, including pilots and flight attendants, will be allowed to have long hair as long as it is tied in a ponytail or bun.

Qantas stated in a Friday statement, "Fashions change, and so have our style guidelines over the years. We're proud of our diversity as well as bringing our guidelines up to date."

The relaxed uniform rules also apply to employees of Qantas' budget airline, Jetstar. Imogen Sturni from the Australian Services Union (ASU), which campaigned for Qantas to change its uniform policy, hailed the move as a "big win for workers." She cited examples of previous dress code requirements, such as makeup style guides and a mandate for women to wear smaller watches than men, as "bordering on ridiculous."

However, despite the progressive changes, Qantas employees will still be required to cover their tattoos. The rules also outline specific combinations of uniform items, including the requirement for tights or stockings to be worn with skirts.

Qantas' announcement follows a trend of other airlines relaxing their uniform policies. Last September, UK-based carrier Virgin Atlantic implemented a "fluid approach" to uniforms, allowing staff to choose their work attire regardless of gender. However, the airline clarified that the policy did not extend to the crew on board the England football team's flight to the World Cup in Qatar, which faced criticism for its treatment of LGBT individuals. Virgin stated that the measure was implemented in countries like the UK, US, and Israel, which are more accepting of non-binary identities and self-expression.

In 2019, Air New Zealand also made a significant change by lifting the ban on visible tattoos for its staff, recognizing the importance of allowing employees to express their individuality and cultural heritage. This change particularly acknowledged the significance of tattoos for New Zealanders with Maori heritage, who use them to mark their genealogy and cultural identity. Photo by Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, Wikimedia commons.