Flight attendant news reporter Mateusz Maszczynski flags a memo that Delta Air Lines sent out to prospective employees interviewing for flight attendant jobs. Candidates were told to wear “proper undergarments” to their interview – underwear should not be visible to staff.
The document, “Appearance Requirements Acknowledgment,” lays out interview expectations.
- No profanity
- No gum chewing
- In addition,[F]ingernails must be clean, neat, and trimmed. Interview clothing must be “professional and fit properly,” and skirts mustn’t be too short.
The customer service experience begins the moment a Flight Attendant puts on their uniform. The Delta uniform represents always putting safety first, pride in the Delta culture and demonstrates a genuine graciousness that will be remembered by out customers.
…To help ensure commitment to Delta’s brand and customer service we have created updated appearance requirements for your interview process.
If painted, nails must all be the same color. Neon, glitter, and attachments are verboten. Aftershave and perfume should only be “applied lightly.” Stark highlights in hair and unnatural shares aren’t permitted.
Contra most U.S. carriers – which do still maintain uniform standards – Delta still very much cares about the appearance their front line employees project of the company. They invest in striking uniforms, although the most recent iterations aren’t nearly as glamorous as past efforts. They won’t look kindly on starting an OnlyFans, either.
Last year British Airways insisted that cabin crew wear see-through blouses. Two years ago Pakistan International Airlines laid out a new underwear requirement for flight attendants. You would think this didn’t need to be said. In Pakistan.
Yet conservative Muslim countries sometimes exhibit the greatest extremes, like a Malaysian carrier demanding flight attendants remove their tops in interviews “to see if applicants had visible marks” as well as “bare their legs thigh-high.” In the U.S., though, it’s mostly anything goes… and that runs into conflict with corporate uniform standards.
When you’re interviewing for a job, though, it’s best to dress the part – and even beyond the part. They used to say dress for your next job. You should at least dress for the one that you want. Confusion, I think, comes into play when corporate HR-speak talks about ‘bringing your whole self to work.’ It is best to ignore that advice.
