Why are pilots not allowed to have beards?

When travelling on a flight, you may have noticed a lack of bearded pilots... And there is a specific reason for this (and no, it's not for the aesthetic).

It turns out that facial hair can potentially put a pilot's life in danger if there is an emergency situation on board the aircraft they're flying.

But how?

Well, it's because there may be a time when a pilot needs to use an oxygen mask but facial hair can affect how well the mask fits in their face.

YouTuber Zack D. Films made a video of this hypothetical scenario to highlight the potentially disastrous consequences.

"When a pilot puts on an oxygen mask during an emergency, it forms a tight seal around the face. This is crucial for supplying the right amount of oxygen," he explained.

"But if a pilot had a beard, the facial hair would prevent the mask from sealing properly - causing the oxygen to leak and potentially leading to unfortunate consequences."

No beards for pilots, and for good reason / iStockphoto by Getty Images

He concluded: "This is why you typically never see a pilot with a beard."

Airlines have different regulations when it comes to this issue. For example, Delta Airlines lets pilots have sideburns so long as they do not grow the midpoint of their ear and any moustaches must be neat and not exceed the corners of their mouth.

No beards are allowed for Delta pilots in case there is "the need for an oxygen mask to maintain a good seal in the event of an emergency".

"We do not have any regulation – like a clean shaving regulation – but a lot of airlines have policies requiring pilots to have no beards or minimal beards to ensure that oxygen masks fit snugly if they’re needed," an FAA spokesperson said in an interview with Thrillist.

"We require oxygen masks to be functional and airlines may take it further and require that pilots be clean shaven or have minimal beards to ensure that."

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