Originally Posted by NotMrNiceGuy

The discussion is not about tattoos. It’s about the location and visibility. Think sleeve and neck (or face for the Tyson fans). In the same way that your braided nose hairs and sagging beer gut are visible, these tattoos are visible. For better or worse in this line of work (along with other professions like lawyers and doctors) there is a standard that has been set for appearance. And it’s a pretty high standard. In my career, I have never seen a pilot with a sleeve. Nor have I seen a doctor with one. That’s not a coincidence. I think that’s an indicator of a life approach. And it’s one that I understand and appreciate. I get that I’m old school. To me, how you keep your house and body is how you keep your mind. Maybe most guys aren’t like this, but if I’m just meeting you for our first flight, I’m going to have some judgments (scary word I know). Do you have a five o’clock shadow? Do you have a belt? How do your shoes look? This helps me build a picture of what to expect when I’m working with you. It helps me operate better as a crew member. Just like I’m going to operate differently with a new hire off IOE vice seasoned 10 year senior FO.

I get that there are some highly intelligent, incredibly talented individuals with sleeve tattoos. But every company I’ve worked for had a standard of appearance, and a sleeve tattoo would fall short of that standard. Having one would elevate the individual over the team and that in itself would be a red flag for me.

As for my “professional” comments, they’re just my opinion. And that’s created off my experience. I’m glad your friends are “professional”. If they wear a tattoo that is not in compliance with company standards, that’s not what I would call them.