Airlines / BA · Grooming
British Airways — Appearance & Grooming
British Airways rewrote its appearance rules in November 2022 to be gender-neutral, then rolled out Ozwald Boateng's first new uniform in nearly twenty years from spring 2023. The result is one of the more progressive standards among legacy carriers on make-up, hair and religious dress — and one of the more conservative on tattoos.
Grooming · British Airways
- Hair
- Hair is worn neatly and safely for the cabin, and since the 2022 update the rules apply to everyone rather than by gender: male crew may wear longer hair and a bun, which BA's own guidance explicitly permits. Natural, conventional colours remain the expectation.
- Make-up
- Since November 2022 all crew, regardless of gender, may wear make-up — mascara, false eyelashes and nail polish included — and nobody is required to. The guidance asks for subtle shades and a natural look rather than a prescribed palette.
- Facial hair
- BA accepts a neatly trimmed, well-maintained beard, which sets it apart from the Gulf carriers. It must be kept tidy and consistent rather than left at stubble length between trims.
- Nails
- One colour of polish, kept simple and neat — the guidance rules out black and neon shades. The rule applies to all crew since the gender-neutral update, not only to women.
- Glasses & contacts
- Prescription glasses are accepted on duty with conventional frames, and BA does not publish a restrictive frame specification. A spare pair is standard practice on long-haul.
- Piercings
- The 2022 update extended piercings to male crew as well as female, within discreet limits. Anything large or facial still sits outside the standard, so keep it modest.
- Jewellery
- Discreet, conventional pieces are fine, and handbags were added to the permitted items for all crew in the same 2022 update. The general test is whether it reads as professional with the uniform.
- Tattoos in uniform
- British Airways' published position remains that tattoos must not be visible while you are in uniform — the November 2022 relaxations covered make-up, hair, piercings and handbags, not ink, and BA stayed conservative here while Virgin Atlantic went the other way. There is no cap on how many tattoos you have, and new ones during your career are fine, provided the uniform covers them; hand, neck and face designs do not work.
- Headscarf
- The Boateng collection introduced tunic and hijab options as part of the uniform, which BA presented as a deliberate inclusion step. It is one of the few large European carriers to offer a headscarf as a standard uniform item rather than an exception.
- Uniform
- Ozwald Boateng's collection, unveiled in January 2023 and worn by more than 30,000 staff from that spring: a tailored three-piece suit with regular and slim-fit trousers, dress, skirt and trouser options, a jumpsuit — a first for BA — and tunic and hijab options, all carrying his 'airwave' pattern.
Grooming rules change more often than any other requirement. Verify them on the airline's official careers page before you buy anything or book a hair appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can British Airways cabin crew have visible tattoos?
No. BA's published rule is that tattoos must not be visible in uniform, and the 2022 grooming relaxations did not change it. You can have any number of tattoos, including new ones during your career, as long as the uniform covers them.
Can male British Airways cabin crew wear make-up?
Yes. Since November 2022 all crew regardless of gender may wear make-up, including mascara, false eyelashes and nail polish, in subtle shades for a natural look. Nobody is required to wear any.
Can British Airways cabin crew wear a hijab?
Yes. The Ozwald Boateng uniform introduced in 2023 includes tunic and hijab options as standard items, making BA one of the few large European carriers to offer one.