Really high hair: flight attendants observed

[Taenarian]

Used to fly a lot. Not a lot a lot, we're talking a lot as in more than a million actual air miles logged when I said: no more. But that was all the way in the last century, but once again work puts me above the five mile high zone. And what better place to observe what the hair regulations are for the flight attendants. My quarry - by dint of the fact I have nowhere else to go as I fish for €2.50 for a coffee - is the Aer Lingus cabin crew.

Sock buns are what the Aer Lingus trolly dollies are doing. Major league sock buns. Except for the senior cabin crew, who wear their hair short.

Not just the luck of the flight attendant draw, either, for when I touch down in the USA I find that I've selected the same hotel that the Aer Lingus crew uses. There's six more, and four are wearing sock buns. BIG sock buns! And six more in the lobby as I head out for dinner .... and saw the very same thing among the Aer Lingus FAs in Milan as they queued for their coffee at the airport.

What's your experience in spotting flight attendant hair styles?

[Dreams_in_Pink]

When i think of flight attendants, i always think of polished low buns with side swept bangs. I have seen various styles on them but that particular one is in all the stock photos and airway ads around.

The reason for low bun is probably because they might have to wear a hat as part of their uniform.

[lapushka]

Plus if your hair is shorter than APL, there's not many options for a bun, but a sock bun. Don't hold it against them. ;)

[Miss_Green]

Most flight attendants I've seen recently had sock buns - apart from one, on a Ryanair flight, who had half her head shaved! The remainder of her hair was in a French braid. Quite a refreshing change, actually.

[darklyndsea]

I think most or all of the flight attendants I've seen (flying mostly American Airlines) have had BSL-or-shorter hair worn down; ~middle-aged flight attendants shorter than APL. I don't think American cares much, since that's the standard style for everybody around here.

[divinedobbie]

I've seen a few ponytails... low buns, haven't really noticed anything else.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I've seen a few sock buns up there myself - they are quick and easy and always look elegant and polished.

[starlamelissa]

Short mom hair, moussed and frosted.

[thistledown]

I think I've seen it all actually......except for loose really long hair.
Vanessa

[LadyCelestina]

I've seen high sock buns ? Well not really on top of the head but certaily not at the nape either.But then again I only flew once,twice if you count the flight home.

ETA : There was this one flight attendant whose sock bun was so huge my brother asked me how long do I think her hair must be to make such a huge bun!:confused: I explained it's done with a sock

[florenonite]

I suspect Aer Lingus requires flight attendants with "long" hair to wear it in a bun which, as lapushka said, at shorter lengths might only leave the sock bun as an option. While it may look a bit uniform, IMO it's better than people with unrestrained hair passing out food and drink.

[DweamGoiL]

I've never paid too much attention to be honest, but I will take you guys words for it :)

[akka naeda]

I think it's because of their hair length, as all the girls at the cosmetic college here wear their hair in sock buns. To the extent that I will not ever wear my hair like that now because it's ubiquitous.

[Merlin]

Most flight attendants I've seen recently had sock buns - apart from one, on a Ryanair flight, who had half her head shaved! The remainder of her hair was in a French braid. Quite a refreshing change, actually.

Maybe RyanAir dock the weight of flight attendant's hair from their wages as a form of excess baggage weight so she couldn't afford to have it all long...

[chen bao jun]

when I flew recently to florida (i forget which airline, even though it was a couple of months ago only lol), the flight attendants all had loose hair shorter than shoulder. There was one black one, she had a lot of those minibraids. I don't know if she had extensions attached or not but I doubt it because her hair was still only about earlength.
I was bored and noticing hair on the flight. Most people if they had it long put it up in messy buns with clips to go to sleep. Or not really messy buns--do you know the hairstyle where they clip just the very end of the hair to the top of their head with a claw clip and the rest kinds of poofs out? It seems more stylish around here right now than actual buns, even more stylish than messy or sock.

[Beatnik Guy]

Indian low cost airline IndiGo has an interesting policy (http://www.gadling.com/2010/09/24/galley-gossip-indigo-flight-attendants-are-forced-to-cut-their/); I remember thinking how weird it was that the women all looked the same.

[Beatnik Guy]

Also, I was reminded of this post I made in April 2007 (retrieved from archives).


I wasn't paying much attention to the safety announcement. There was a guy going through the routine about ten rows in front of me and a woman about two behind. I was on a Vietnam Airlines flight from Cambodia to Hanoi last night - and on this airline, all the female cabin staff are fairly young and attractive, wear calf length dark red tunics and hair pulled back with a black bun cover (I'd been looking at those buns and wondering how much hair :silly: ).

So, my hair radar notices that the woman just behind my has touched the liftvest on her bun and there's a little hair poking out. She struggles quickly and one-handedly to rescue it, while continuing the safety routine, but she fails and her hair falls out. It's about waist length, cut into a V with a few layers and a few reddish streaks. So, I watched the rest of the demonstration over my shoulder. :bigeyes: Unfortunately, as I didn't see her face and all the flight attendants are dressed the same (and she quickly gathered her hair when she was done), I didn't get to say anything to her later. Who said such briefings are boring though? :cheese:

I'm also pleased to report that classic length (plus up to about 2 inches) is relatively common in Hanoi. :hollie: