After complaints about the treatment of its female cabin employees, low-cost airline Vueling was penalized by Spanish labor inspectors from Catalonia. The Spanish airline allegedly ordered its female cabin crew members to work while donning high heels and makeup, according to local sources. The Catalan government's labor and workers department was made aware of the situation by the labor union STAVLA, which was advocating on behalf of the cabin staff members.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Periódico, female flight attendants are not allowed to wear eyelash extensions that are "artificial-length or appearing," and any lipstick must be in a "low-key" shade. According to reports, female staff was told to wear foundation that matches their skin tone and were only permitted to wear black mascara. The heels of the shoes worn by female flight attendants were also required to be between two and three inches high.
Male crew members, meanwhile, received no specific instructions regarding footwear from the airline other than to maintain a "clean and good appearance." The airline received a $33,000 punishment and was advised that it could still maintain a professional image in a "less onerous and more balanced way, without harming the fundamental rights" of employees. The procedure that the Catalan Labor Inspectorate launched includes a potential sanction. Vueling is currently investigating the process to lay blame in accordance with its legal rights.
The airline has reportedly spent more than a year "reviewing its style guide" and creating a "inclusive image," according to Vueling. A Vueling representative stated, "We constantly examine any issues that our crew may have and these are factored into decision-making and implementation. The dress code is intended to constantly promote comfort and safety in all circumstances, according to the organization. In actuality, the representatives of the crew members helped to write the style guide. "In addition, crew members' opinions have gradually been taken into consideration," they continued. One example of this is the revision to the makeup usage guide, in which there is no longer a differentiation between genders or a requirement to wear makeup.