Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Dec 22, 2025

British Airways allows male staff to wear make-up and carry handbags

British Airways allows male staff to wear make-up and carry handbags

British Airways has eased its uniform rules, allowing male pilots and cabin crew to wear make-up and carry handbags

British Airways says all pilots and cabin crew can paint their nails and wear mascara, regardless of gender

British Airways staff were told to “be bold, be proud, be yourself” as the airline overhauled its strict uniform rules to allow male cabin crews and pilots to wear make-up and carry handbags during flights.

In an internal memo released on Wednesday and cited by the media, the company told staff the new guidance would be “embraced by everyone regardless of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, background, culture, sexual identity, or otherwise.”

The airline said it was close to completing a review of its long-standing uniform policies after other airlines such as Virgin Atlantic decided to make their traditional male and female uniforms gender-neutral.

The move comes as airlines such as British Airways have been moving away from traditional divisions by gender and have even dropped “ladies and gentlemen” from its announcements in order to make “all customers feel welcome.”

According to the Daily Mail, British Airways told their male pilots and cabin crew that they can wear “a touch of mascara and lip color” as well as fake eyelashes and paint their nails. All staff will now also have more options when it comes to hairstyles, meaning male employees will be allowed to wear “man buns,” and everyone will now be allowed to carry handbags, regardless of gender identity or sex.

The company decided to stick with its traditional male and female uniforms, as well as keeping its ban on visible tattoos.

A British Airways spokesperson told the outlet that the company is “committed to an inclusive working environment,” and that the updated guidelines for grooming, beauty, and accessories will allow employees to “bring the best, most authentic version of themselves to work every day.”

In September, Virgin Atlantic updated its uniform policy, but went a step further than BA, completely removing gendered clothing requirements, allowing male workers to wear skirts and make-up, and introducing pronoun badges for staff to be able to “wear uniforms that express their true identity.”

The move towards allowing male flight attendants to wear dresses and make-up has been met with criticism from customers. Some say that airlines making these “inclusivity” updates should instead focus on improving the experience for travelers, while others have called it “woke madness.”

Other airlines around the world have also updated their guidelines. Russia’s S7, Latvia’s AirBaltic, and Air New Zealand have recently allowed staff to have visible tattoos, piercings, bright-colored hair, as well as beards for male employees.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
UK Boosts Protection for Jewish Communities After Sydney Hanukkah Attack
UK Government Declines to Comment After ICC Prosecutor Alleges Britain Threatened to Defund Court Over Israel Arrest Warrant
Apple Shutters All Retail Stores in the United Kingdom Under New National COVID-19 Lockdown
US–UK Technology Partnership Strains as Key Trade Disagreements Emerge
UK Police Confirm No Further Action Over Allegation That Andrew Asked Bodyguard to Investigate Virginia Giuffre
Giuffre Family Expresses Deep Disappointment as UK Police Decline New Inquiry Into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Claims
Transatlantic Trade Ambitions Hit a Snag as UK–US Deal Faces Emerging Challenges
Ex-ICC Prosecutor Alleges UK Threatened to Withdraw Funding Over Netanyahu Arrest Warrant Bid
UK Disciplinary Tribunal Clears Carter-Ruck Lawyer of Misconduct in OneCoin Case
‘Pink Ladies’ Emerge as Prominent Face of UK Anti-Immigration Protests
Nigel Farage Says Reform UK Has Become Britain’s Largest Party as Labour Membership Falls Sharply
Google DeepMind and UK Government Launch First Automated AI Lab to Accelerate Scientific Discovery
UK Economy Falters Ahead of Budget as Growth Contracts and Confidence Wanes
Australia Approves Increased Foreign Stake in Strategic Defence Shipbuilder
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson proclaims, “For Ukraine, surrendering their land would be a nightmare.”
Microsoft Challenges £2.1 Billion UK Cloud Licensing Lawsuit at Competition Tribunal
Fake Doctor in Uttar Pradesh Accused of Killing Woman After Performing YouTube-Based Surgery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
UK Officials Push Back at Trump Saying European Leaders ‘Talk Too Much’ About Ukraine
UK Warns of Escalating Cyber Assault Linked to Putin’s State-Backed Operations
UK Consumer Spending Falters in November as Households Hold Back Ahead of Budget
UK Orders Fresh Review of Prince Harry’s Security Status After Formal Request
U.S. Authorises Nvidia to Sell H200 AI Chips to China Under Security Controls
Trump in Direct Assault: European Leaders Are Weak, Immigration a Disaster. Russia Is Strong and Big — and Will Win
"App recommendation" or disguised advertisement? ChatGPT Premium users are furious
×