Hawaiian Pilots Lose Rare Beard Exception, Merger Rules Shut Down A Symbol Of Identity

Hawaiian Airlines pilots are set to lose a rare beard exception as Alaska Air Group moves toward a single pilot uniform and appearance policy after the merger of the two carriers. The change will end a long-standing rule that made Hawaiian one of the few U.S. airlines to allow beards for pilots.

In an internal email dated March 23, Alaska System Chief Pilot Scott Day told pilots that a major update to the Flight Operations Manual would be released on April 1. He also said Boeing 787 pilots would begin moving to Alaska’s uniform on April 20 as part of the combined policy rollout.

Why the beard policy is changing

Day told pilots that facial hair would have to meet strict requirements and that beards would no longer be authorized. A follow-up message from Dave Mets, Hawaiian’s vice president of flight operations, said the company understood the issue would matter to many pilots and that some would likely never agree with the decision.

Mets said the airline had discussed the issue with regulators over several years and reviewed concerns tied to oxygen mask use in the cockpit. He added that cockpit oxygen mask manufacturers had advised against beards in the flight deck, while the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute had recently reaffirmed its recommendation that beards should not be allowed for safety reasons.

What the company says it reviewed

The airline said its decision followed a safety review that considered FAA rules, manufacturer specifications, and placard guidance. According to Mets, that review led to the conclusion that prohibiting beards in the flight deck was the safest and most compliant option for the new combined policy.

The company also pointed to the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident as part of its reasoning. Mets said the rapid decompression event showed how quickly pilots may need to use oxygen masks in an emergency, making mask performance a central issue in the policy review.

Key points in the new policy

1. A well-groomed mustache will still be allowed.
2. Beards will no longer be permitted for pilots.
3. Boeing 787 pilots will shift to Alaska uniforms starting April 20.
4. The revised Flight Operations Manual is scheduled for release on April 1.
5. The policy applies across the combined Alaska-Hawaiian pilot group.

The updated appearance rule is written plainly in the manual, stating that beards are not allowed. That means Hawaiian’s previous beard allowance will disappear as the two airlines continue integration after the merger.

Research on beards and oxygen masks remains divided

The policy decision comes during an ongoing debate in aviation about whether facial hair truly affects oxygen mask performance. A 2024 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University study found no evidence that facial hair caused mask leaks, hypoxia, or chemical exposure issues during tests with commercial-style oxygen masks.

Earlier research from Simon Fraser University also found that facial hair did not reduce mask performance in its study. The university said that work helped support Air Canada’s decision to allow pilot beards.

Even with that research, Alaska said it relied on a broader safety assessment and long-standing FAA guidance. In a statement to AirlineGeeks, the company said the prohibition was based on those guidelines and on its own studies over many years.

How Alaska says Hawaiian’s identity will be handled

Mets said the beard policy would not change Alaska’s broader commitment to Hawaiian’s branding and culture. He said leadership had “absolutely no desire or intention” to diminish the way Hawaiian Airlines and Hawaiian culture are respected inside the combined company.

He pointed to continued investment in the Hawaiian brand, airport facilities, cabin improvements, and other appearance rule changes, including a more relaxed tattoo standard. The airline appears to be balancing merger integration with efforts to preserve parts of Hawaiian’s identity.

The two pilot groups remain separately represented within the Air Line Pilots Association and are still negotiating a joint collective bargaining agreement. Their seniority lists will be merged only after that contract is ratified, which means the new beard rule lands during a broader and still unfinished integration process for both pilot groups.