Man Claims British Airways Fired Him for 'Girl's Hair' as He Breaches Dress Code

A former customer service worker at London's Heathrow airport told local media that his contract was terminated after airline representatives demanded he cut his hair because his hairstyle violated uniform policy.

The 26-year-old Sid Ouared has accused British Airways (BA) of sexism after he was reportedly sacked two weeks into the job for having a man bun – which the company deemed inappropriate for a male employee.

“I was told I can’t have my hair in a bun because only women can have their hair in a bun. So because I’m not a female, I wasn’t permitted to have my hair in that style. It was absolute sexism. I was even told by a member of management at BA, ‘your hair is like a girl’s hair,'" he said.

Three stories by me in today’s Daily Mail, including an exclusive on a British Airways worker accusing the airline of sexism after they sacked him for having a ‘man bun’. pic.twitter.com/ng5ULMiGja

— Sami Quadri (@sami8238_q) 6 августа 2018 г.

Ouared complained that while multiple women who work for the airline had “hair exactly like mine,” he was the one being “discriminated against.”

“They basically said, ‘cut it, put it in a turban like a Sikh, or turn it into dreadlocks like a Rastafarian.’ I am not any of those things and I can’t believe that they would make me wear my hair like something that I am not,” he said.

The airline allegedly told Ouared that his hairstyle breached a uniform code, although the employee stressed that his locks didn’t seem to be an issue during the “long” recruitment process, and he tried to tuck his hair under his collar to render it less noticeable.

READ MORE: 'This is a Man's World': Qatar Airways Chief Ignites Twitter with Sexist Row

Once the news broke, social media users didn’t seem to be impressed by his hairstyle either:

A British Airways employee was fired for having a man-bun. And that bun actually counts as carry-on luggage. #TheProjectTV

— The Project (@theprojecttv) 6 августа 2018 г.

Sacked? He needs publicly flogging for that monstrosity.

— ❌ Don Chanowit ❌🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@DonChanowit) 6 августа 2018 г.

Looks ridiculous.

— Sandra Dibble (@Dibbssa) 6 августа 2018 г.

British Airways accused of sexism after man SACKED for 'man bun' https://t.co/Z2oUD3R5GQ @MailOnline
Why would any man want a man BUN???

— indespair at britain (@IndespairB) 6 августа 2018 г.

Under BA's guidelines, hair “must not touch the shirt collar at the back or sides,” while ponytails “are only permitted to secure dreadlocks,” which, in turn, are allowed to be worn “as long as they are pulled back using an approved accessory.”

Meanwhile, women are allowed a vast variety of hairstyles, including a bun, a ponytail, single plait, braids, spikey hair, dreadlocks, etc.

The Daily Mail cited a BA spokesman as refusing to comment on “individual cases.”