Male flight attendants and pilots will be allowed to express themselves by carrying handbags and wearing makeup should they wish to.

The newly implemented directive affects British Airways and Virgin Atlantic employees and offers a way out of the airlines’ strict policies surrounding uniforms and appearance.

As the BA officials explained in a memo to the staff, they hope for the new guidance to be “embraced by everyone regardless of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, background, culture, sexual identity, or otherwise.”

The bosses also urged their employees to “be bold, be proud, be yourself” while reassuring the male staff that they will be allowed to wear make-up and carry handbags.

The move comes shortly after the airline’s biggest rival, Virgin Atlantic, said the company was in the process of ditching its gender-specific uniforms and introducing a gender-neutral alternative.

Sparking a divisive debate, the airline also insisted that the “ladies and gentlemen” introductions to announcements would be dropped to make everyone feel included.

Meanwhile, British Airways told all of its cabin crew members as well as pilots that they could paint their nails, wear false eyelashes, and wear lipstick and a touch of mascara if they wished to.

“We are proud of all of our colleagues at British Airways and we are committed to an inclusive working environment,” a representative told MailOnline.

“We have worked with our people to create updated guidelines for grooming, beauty and accessories, allowing our colleagues to bring the best, most authentic version of themselves to work every day.”

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