These 8 airlines are relaxing traditional flight attendant uniform rules in favor of more gender-neutral polices

• Some airlines around the world are making flight attendant uniforms more gender-neutral.
• Flight attendant uniform trends are often representative of the time when they are worn.

United said in June it will start allowing flight attendants to wear name tags with their pronouns on to allow them to identify "in the way that feels most true to themselves."

The move — part of the airline's major uniform redesign — is the latest in a trend that sees carriers around the world taking steps to make their strict rules for flight attendant uniforms more inclusive.

Flight attendants' uniforms are often representative of a particular time, Amanda Hildebrandt, an academic researcher who specializes in the topic, told Insider. During the 1940s, for instance, there was a preference for military-style uniforms.

"Flight attendant uniforms are often issued with a manual that instructs on the 'correct' way to wear the uniform. The list of requirements can be exhaustive, down to approved hairstyles and shades of makeup," Hildebrandt said. "Nowadays, a number of airlines appear to be trying to make their uniform regulations more inclusive and reflective of changes in social norms."

Here are 8 airlines that are opting for more gender-inclusive regulations:

1. United. The airline announced name tags with the employee's pronouns on them in May 2023.

United Airlines

Source: Insider.

The move comes two years after United updated its grooming standards for cabin crew, allowing visible tattoos, natural makeup, and nail polish on anyone, regardless of gender.

United Airlines

2. Virgin Atlantic. The airline has been allowing flight attendants to wear whichever uniform they prefer, regardless of gender, since 2022.

Virgin Atlantic

Source: Insider.

The uniforms have not changed, but the airline has abolished the "male" and "female" categories and introduced optional pronoun badges.

Virgin Atlantic

3. WestJet. In 2022, WestJet launched new, gender-neutral uniforms. Instead of categorizing the two collections by "male" and "female", it called them the Lakes and Rocky Mountain collections.

WestJet

Source: WestJet.

The airline's new name tags have space for pronouns. WestJet had already updated its uniform guidelines to be unchained from gender in 2017.

WestJet

4. Alaska Airlines. In March 2022, it updated its uniform guidelines to provide more freedom for gender expression and include pronoun tags.

Alaska Airlines.

Source: Insider.

According to the new grooming guidelines, all employees can wear makeup, earrings, and nail polish.

Alaska Airlines

Source: Alaska Airlines.

5. SkyUp. The low-cost Ukrainian airline said in 2021 that its female cabin crew was no longer required to wear high heels.

SkyUp

Crew members can choose to wear sneakers and pants instead.

SkyUp

Source: Insider.

6. PLAY. The Icelandic low-cost airline introduced new, gender-neutral uniforms in June 2021.

PLAY

Source: PLAY.

The airline picked sneakers over high heels and abolished instructions regarding hair, makeup, tattoos, and nail polish.

PLAY

7. Aero K. The new low-cost Korean airline, which received its first aircraft in 2021, has gender-neutral uniforms for its crew members.

Aero K

Source: Aero K.

The airline describes the uniforms as "젠더리스 유니폼" in Korean, which translates to "genderless."

Aero K

8. JetBlue. In June 2021, JetBlue, which was ahead of the curve, released a gender-neutral crewmember uniform policy.

JetBlue

Source: JetBlue.

According to JetBlue's gender-neutral policy, flight attendants can pick from a combination of uniform pieces and wear what they feel most comfortable with.

JetBlue