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Virgin Atlantic Flight Attendants No Longer Have to Wear Makeup on the Job

March 04, 2019
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2 min read
Launch Party To Celebrate Virgin Atlantic's New Vivienne Westwood Uniform Collection
Virgin Atlantic Flight Attendants No Longer Have to Wear Makeup on the Job
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After considering feedback from employees, Virgin Atlantic recently declared that its cabin crew members no longer have to wear makeup when serving passengers.

"Not only do the new guidelines offer an increased level of comfort, they also provide our team with more choice on how they want to express themselves at work," said Virgin Atlantic executive vice president Mark Anderson. "Helping people to be themselves is core to our desire to be the most loved travel company."

Moving forward, female flight attendants will also receive trousers as part of their uniforms by default, instead of having to request them in addition to the fitted knee-length skirts from Vivienne Westwood's 2014 collection for the airline.

Virgin Atlantic's female flight attendants no longer are required to wear makeup while on the job, and will now receive trousers as part of their uniform bottoms in addition to the fitted skirts designed by Vivienne Westwood.

The move heralds a gradual shift in the commercial aviation industry, which historically has held rigid aesthetic requirements for crew members, especially females. Requirements still vary from airline to airline: Singapore Airlines flight attendants, known as "Singapore Girls," must adhere to a strict, limited range of accessories, makeup looks and hairstyles, while Emirates goes so far as to designate a very specific shade of "Emirates red" lipstick or nail polish for its flight attendants. In 2017, Israeli airline El Al required female flight attendants to wear high heels while greeting passengers, reinstating a policy that had been retired for a few years. Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines drew fire for distributing a memo that called for flight attendants to lose up to 30 pounds of "excess weight" until they reached the desired size.

Featured image by David M. Benett

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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