This Woman Was Allegedly Rejected by Emirates as a Flight Attendant Due to Her Mild Acne

The job application process is an emotional rollercoaster, often filled with self-doubt. Am I good enough? Do I have the right qualifications? Will my skills stand out among the other applicants? It’s nerve-wracking and stressful — especially when that job is the key to keeping a roof over your head or food on the table. Honestly, it sucks. But landing your dream job can make the whole ordeal feel worth it.

But for one woman on TikTok, the rollercoaster seemed never-ending. She landed her dream job as a flight attendant for Emirates, but the excitement was short-lived. Just two days later, she claims the airline rescinded the offer because of her mild acne. Wait, what? Here’s how she says it all went down.

In a now-viral TikTok, user @whatisgoingonhelpmepls shared her whirlwind experience with Emirates, one of the world’s largest international airlines flying to over 130 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East.

After receiving the "golden call" welcoming her aboard, things took an unexpected turn. Just two days later, she received an email informing her that the airline "could no longer proceed with [her employment]."

While rescinded job offers are common in today’s job market, the reason she believes Emirates backed out is pretty concerning. In her TikTok, which has garnered over 27,000 likes and is captioned, "Imagine getting your dream job and then losing it in two days. I kinda feel like it’s a joke," she explains her side of the story.

According to her, the email stated she failed the medical clearance check, preventing the airline from moving forward. "The only reason I can think of why I didn’t pass is my acne," she shared.

She explained that the medical form included 40 questions about physical and mental health, including whether she had a skin condition like acne or eczema. She answered "no" to all the questions except the one about a skin condition, where she clarified that it was mild acne.

While medical screenings are critical for roles like flight attendants, where individuals must be able to handle the demands of domestic and international travel, skin conditions like acne or eczema, which aren’t contagious, hardly seem relevant.

Visibly upset, she ended her video by saying, "I’m just shocked and confused." And honestly, if acne was the reason she didn’t get the job, I’m just as baffled!

In a follow-up video, @whatisgoingonhelpmepls responded to a comment from someone claiming, "Emirates is strict," and, "Anyone who applies knows not to disclose anything."

While she acknowledged that she could have withheld the information, she explained that she didn’t want to risk accepting the job, traveling abroad, and then having the company discover her skin condition, only to send her back to her home country on her own dime.

And I don’t know if you’ve checked travel rates lately, but a one-way flight from the U.S. to Dubai can cost upwards of $600, depending on where you're flying to and the time of year. So, um, yeah, that doesn't exactly sound like a feasible solution.

While it's understandable to be upset about landing — and then losing — a dream job, one commenter found a silver lining. She shared that after moving to Dubai and working for Emirates "with super clear skin," the stress of the job and other factors caused her to develop "pretty bad acne," so she called it "a blessing for your skin, trust me." @whatisgoingonhelpmepls might appreciate the advice, but still, how can a company hand you the golden ticket and then snatch it away?