Delta’s New Rule: Jobseekers, Flight Attendants’ Undergarments ‘Must Not Be Visible’

Delta Airlines' new rule bans trainees and flight attendants from wearing visible undergarments.

Delta Airlines has a new policy for potential hires and current flight attendants that bans them from wearing visible undergarments.

As the airline continues its hiring spree for new flight attendants, a two-page memo outlining “appearance requirements” for applicants was issued earlier this month. The memo detailed Delta’s expectations for grooming, hair, jewelry, and clothing, including specific guidelines for undergarments during a candidates’ interview process, throughout training, and for the entire career with the airline.

“Proper undergarments must be worn but must not be visible,” the airline states in the “Clothing” section of the Appearance Guidelines.

Clothing must also be “professional and fit properly,” the airline clarified. Other rules include dresses and/or skirts that fall below the knee, closed-toe shoes that aren’t athletic, and ties with a buttoned collared shirt for men who choose to wear the uniform. Over on the grooming sides of the guidelines, “Aftershave, cologne and perfume may be used if applied lightly,” while eyelashes must “appear natural” and should not have “extreme length and volume.”

Other rules include trimmed facial hair and nails as well as nails that are all the same color, don’t have bright neon colors, and are chip-free. Hair must be a natural-looking color with “no stark highlights or unnatural shades,” the memo states. Hair that touches or is longer than the shoulder “must be pulled completely back and secured away from the eyes.”

The updated Appearance Guidelines are to help the potential hires give a good representation of themselves and the company when interacting with customers.

“In the interest of transparency and clarity for all prospective candidates, we are encouraging people to ‘dress for success’ and give a great first impression as they aspire to join the flight attendant ranks,” Delta said

However, the memo garnered criticism when it was shared on Reddit by someone who wanted to know, “Is this for real?” There were many who defended the memo and said they didn’t find anything wrong with it.

“What is the problem here? I’m inferring that they don’t want to see things like the tops of boxers, whale tails, or neon lace bras peeking out from under low-cut tops,” one person wrote.

“There’s nothing eyebrow-raising about this and I’m pretty sure my airline said something similar,” added someone else. “You’d be surprised how people show up to an interview where your appearance 100% matters.”

The appearance requirements aren’t too surprising when looking at recent findings that suggest Gen Z and recent college graduates lack understanding of how to dress professionally for job interviews. A survey of 800 managers done earlier this year revealed that nearly half of Gen Z applicants fail to dress appropriately for job interviews.

The research found that one in five employers reported that recent college graduates are underprepared for the workplace, citing poor eye contact, inappropriate attire, and unrealistic salary expectations as the top concerns. All this could be why Delta found it necessary to update its appearance guidelines and make it clear what a potential hire should look like when on the clock.

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