Can you be a pilot with tattoos?

Commercial pilots will be allowed tattoos in some airlines as long as they are covered. This means if a pilot has a sleeve-type tattoo on their arm, they must wear a long sleeve shirt to cover it. Most major airlines do not allow tattoos that cannot be covered.



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Airlines want passengers to feel safe on board an aircraft. A large part of how passengers interpret the flight comes down to the appearance and demeanor of the crew. Visible tattoos are viewed as unprofessional by many airlines. The airlines also don't want any offensive or obscene images in the cabin.

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Etihad and Emirates are totally OK with tattoos as long as it is not visible when wearing the uniform.

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In most cases, pilots are required to have vision correctable to 20/20 or better in each eye with or without glasses or contact lenses. As long as your vision can be corrected to meet these standards, you are eligible to become a commercial pilot. Myth 3: It takes a long time to become a pilot.

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Facial hair must allow the oxygen mask to fit securely and operate properly. Some airlines allow facial hair and some do not, but in any event, if a pilot is allowed to have a beard by his employer, it must not prevent the oxygen mask from working properly.

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Males and females are required to not have any tattoos visible when in uniform. If you can cover them up with your uniform (and for the interview) you should be fine. The caveat to this is that typically pilots wear short sleeve shirts during the summer.

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Airlines in the western world, such as United Airlines, Lufthansa, or even Air New Zealand have started to revise their uniform policy to be more inclusive and diverse, allowing hairstyles that reflect cultural and personal identity. As a result, long hair is not universally prohibited for pilots today.

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British Airways uniform policy requires that tattoos must never be visible outside the uniform. As a guide, areas shown in grey on this diagram will not be covered by our uniform (when wearing a short-sleeved shirt). No tattoos must be visible on the face, hands, neck or arms.

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