There has been a massive surge in internet searches for cabin crew jobs with long-haul airline Virgin Atlantic after it lifted its ban on staff tattoos. Searches rocketed by 522 per cent on June 1, the day the carrier became to first airline to allow staff to have visible tattoos.
The study by travelswiththecrew.com confirmed online interest in jobs with Virgin Atlantic soared after Sir Richard Branson's airline launched a new branding campaign in May, “championing individuality” followed by the move to allow visible body art. Virgin Atlantic’s chief people officer, Estelle Hollingsworth, said restrictions were being relaxed “in line with our focus on inclusion and championing individuality.
She added: “At Virgin Atlantic, we want everyone to be themselves and know that they belong. Many people use tattoos to express their unique identities and our customer-facing and uniformed colleagues should not be excluded from doing so if they choose.”
A spokesperson for travelswiththecrew.com, which conducted the study, remarked: “It would be accurate to say that the aviation industry has struggled due to the pandemic, however Virgin Atlantic’s move to allow visible tattoos has caused an increase in interest for job applications.
"This decision has led to initial success in sparking interest of 522 per cent above the average for jobs within this airline, as well as encouraging their staff to be themselves and celebrate this. It will be interesting to see how other airlines react in the future.”
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