14 DAY TRIAL // Turkish Airlines has given up its lipstick and nail polish ban after backlash from union chiefs, passengers and the country's public and media.
The airline's Chief Executive Officer Temel Kotil claims that higher-ups were not responsible for the ban on using bright red lipstick.
“As to the lipstick, we had no problems but somehow low-level managers put together a paper without asking us and that paper leaked to the media and became a big issue,” he says, according to RTE.
While original reports mentioned that the ban applied to flight attendants and other service personnel, Kotil is dismissing the claim, stressing that their staffers can apply the colors of their choosing on their lips and nails.
Daily Mail relayed previous complaints by union leaders, upset because the company's execs imposed their religious values on employees by means of the ban.
“This new guideline is totally down to Turkish Airlines management's desire to shape the company to fit its own political and ideological stance,” Hava-Is labor union president Atilay Aycin has stated.
They have lobbied against the measure on Twitter, suggesting that the measure undermines women's rights and the employees' religious freedom.
The company has recently put out the statement describing their wish for female employees to wear pastel tones, in keeping with the company's brand image.
“As a consequence of our current cabin uniforms not including red, dark pink, et cetera, the use of lipstick and nail polish in these colors by our cabin crew impairs visual integrity,” they said.
In responding to allegations, Kotil argues that they will not be imposing “conservative, religious” views on their staff.
“As you know, some in Turkey are a little bit keen about these issues,” he explains.
“We are a great global carrier and we know what we are doing,” he responds.