Back in 2011, Virgin Australia fired a male flight attendant because they considered his hair too long. But David Taleski is scheduled to fly again as of next week, after winning a 15-month legal battle against the airline.

Two years ago, Virgin Australia claimed that Taleski had repeatedly failed to comply with the carrier's personal grooming manual, the Look Book. The airline claims that this handbook is consistent with numerous other carriers around the world.
Initially, the flight assistant said that his hair was grown long because of religious reasons, but then maintained that it was due to a medical condition which he declined to discuss. He revealed later that he was suffering from a body-image disorder and provided the airline with five medical certificates.

The carrier rejected this, claiming that the certificates did not provide a diagnosis which gave a satisfactory explanation as to why the assistant persistently refused to trim his hair. They grounded him, so he wore his hair in a slicked-back ponytail. But this too was unacceptable to Virgin, as only women are allowed to wear ponytails, according to the Look Book.
Flight Attendant Sacked From Virgin Wins Unfair Dismissal Appeal

Eventually, he was allowed back to work sporting a wig, despite his beliefs that it would interfere with his hair transplant and subject him to ridicule. In October 2011, Virgin fired him for continually failing to adhere to the grooming manual. Mr Taleski subsequently began an unfair dismissal appeal in the Fair Work Commission, which is Australia's workplace tribunal.

Mr Taleski won the appeal earlier this year, but the carrier appealed this. However on Wednesday, the commission rejected this appeal, stating that the earlier ruling presented no errors. The ruling found that the Look Book does not specify rules on wearing wigs.
Maurice Addison, solicitor for Mr Taleski, asserted that the case was not intended to be malicious. Mr Taleski, who in the meantime had been working at a call-centre, just wanted to get back to work to do what he loves best.
"He loves flying, he wants to get back in the air," Addison said. "That's all he's ever wanted. He loves doing that job, and he's had a very good result."
A Virgin spokeswoman said the carrier would be reviewing the decision from the Fair Work Commission.