Qantas changes longstanding uniform rule to allow women to go makeup free and ditch high heels

Qantas has relaxed uniform rules and informed female flight attendants that they don’t have to wear makeup and high heels.

The Australian airline has decided to relax some of its uniform policies for the first time in a decade.

Additionally, male staff members were told they could grow their hair out as long as it’s tied up in a bun or ponytail.

The new regulations also mean that flight attendants can wear diamond earrings, colour nail polish, Fitbits or large watches, and different glasses frames.

Twitter/Qantas

There will also be a little more fluidity regarding the uniform.

Following the changes, a spokesperson for Qantas issued a statement revealing the company was altering its uniform policy to modernise its guidelines.

“We’re proud of our diversity, and as well as bringing our guidelines up to date, these changes will make wearing our uniform more comfortable and practical for all of our people, including those with a wide range of body types and those from diverse cultural backgrounds,” they said.

It comes after The Australian Services Union (ASU) called for former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to remove gender discriminatory uniform policies to make a more 'diverse and inclusive' workplace earlier this year when he was in power.

AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts/Alamy

In a blunt letter to Joyce, The ASU said: "Today we thought it [was] timely to write to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce about moving the Qantas uniform policy into the 21st century".

The union called for Mr Joyce to update his uniform regulations, including the 'removing the requirement for women to wear makeup', 'allow women to wear low heel shoes' and reconsider 'whether heels and hosiery are still necessary at all'.

The union also requested Qantas to allow employees to wear makeup 'in per the style guide if they wish' and include badges which stated their preferred pronouns.

The letter proceeded to call out Joyce's policy for requiring female flight attendants to wear smaller watches than male staff.

"Allow all employees to wear the same sized watch faces (in 2022 we think women can handle the same size watch face as men if we choose)," the union said.

The union also demanded that the Qantas CEO amend his policies, including explicitly allowing for culturally inclusive dress and grooming and for employees to wear beards.