Aside from Hawaiian Airlines, the entire US airline policy on facial hair seems antiquated. Considering the pilot shortage and current trend in beards (from one quarter inch and longer,) it would seem like the airlines should finally consider changing their rules on pilots facial hair. I personally am bald, and having a beard is the only thing that prevents my looking like a creep or a skinhead, so I would like to do whatever I can to get this vestigial rule eliminated. Who would I talk to or leverage to start working on this? Thank you

Tim – Thanks for contacting [email protected]. Our understanding is that several U.S. airlines permit pilots to grow mustaches that adhere to certain restrictions, but that beards are taboo. Some of these policies were originally established because of a concern that facial hair might not allow an oxygen mask to fully seal around a pilot’s face. However, the maintenance of current facial hair rules appears to be more closely tied to projecting what some feel is a professional image. The bottom line is that these are human resources policies and, given the culture at some airlines, they may be viewed as rigidly as the use of uniforms.

However, it’s been said that everything is negotiable. You might want to talk to your fellow pilots to see if others feel the same way you do. With some support, you could address this issue with your local council officers to see if the group would want to revisit the pilot facial hair policy as part of its bargaining efforts. Pilot negotiating committees meet with management to bargain for contracts, but they also convene between these full-scale negotiations to address individual letters of agreement (LOA) and memoranda of understanding (MOU).

Again, if enough pilots felt the same way you do, perhaps facial hair is something your pilot group could bargain for.

ALPA Communications