Hawaiian Airlines pilots will have to shave off their beards this month as Alaska Airlines enforces new uniform and appearance standards. Although beards in the cockpit already go against longstanding FAA rules, Hawaiian pilots have enjoyed an exception primarily due to cultural reasons.

Alaska has framed its decision as being motivated by safety, citing oxygen mask manufacturer concerns over beards leading to mask leaks. The new policy will come into effect this month and has reignited a fierce debate within the industry over facial hair and safety.

Hawaiian Pilots Are No Longer Allowed Beards

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As first reported by AirlineGeeks, Alaska Airlines has implemented a significant revision to its Flight Operations Manual (FOM), including establishing a single set of appearance standards for Alaska and Hawaiian flight crews. The most notable change is that Hawaiian’s pilots will no longer enjoy an exemption to industry-wide rules on beards in the cockpit. Prior to its merger with Alaska, Hawaiian chose not to enforce longstanding FAA guidance on beards for cultural reasons, but this is about to change under Alaska’s unified appearance and uniform rules.

According to an internal email from Alaska’s system chief pilot Scott Day, although mustaches will still be permitted, beards “will not be authorized” on the flight deck in order to “ensure compliance with FAA guidance.” Alaska’s Vice President of Flight Operations, Dave Mets, elaborated on the decision in a separate email to pilots. While recognizing the potential controversy over the beard ban, Mets stated that it was done for safety and compliance reasons. Mets added,

“I recognize this is an important issue for many and do not want to be insensitive or vague about it in any way. I fully understand that this is a policy decision many of you do not and may never agree with.”

The Rules On Pilots Having Beards

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The argument against beards in the cockpit is almost entirely safety driven, although employee appearance plays a contributing factor. Safety equipment manufacturers have advised against pilot beards as they can interfere with oxygen masks, potentially leading to seal leaks that could jeopardize safety during emergencies.

Alaska cited the high-profile Flight AS1282 incident from January 2024, when a door plug detached from an Alaska Boeing 737 MAX 9 during its climb, forcing the crew to don oxygen masks while dealing with the emergency. Although a 2024 study conducted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University found that beards do not interfere with oxygen mask efficacy, Alaska says its own studies have supported the FAA’s guidance.

Australian carrier Qantas was recently in the news after pursuing a new policy requiring all pilots to be clean-shaven, also citing oxygen mask safety. In response, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) said the decision was based on outdated science, adding that major global airlines like Emirates allow pilots to have well-groomed beards.

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Safety Or Appearance Driven?

Credit: Alaska Airlines

The FAA’s rules on pilot beards under AC 120-43 date back to 1987 and are still in force. While the vast majority of US airlines have banned their pilots from having beards, there is growing evidence to suggest this is not necessary, perhaps paving the way for an industry-wide change.

However, much like tattoos, beards can also be a thorny issue for airlines that want their crew to showcase a “clean” appearance. Given the Aloha State’s strong heritage of tattoos — known locally as kākau uhi — Hawaiian already has more relaxed rules on crew with tattoos, and this seems unlikely to change.

While Alaska is eager to preserve Hawaiian’s culture, the ongoing merger integration has forced a difficult compromise between the Hawaiian carrier’s unique identity and company-wide standards. As Simple Flying reported last month, Alaska has already removed Hawaiian’s iconic ‘Pualani’ livery from its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, which now sports Alaska’s new ‘Global’ Aurora Borealis-inspired design.