Sir Richard Branson and Dita Von Teese at a Virgin Atlantic Celebration

Just last year Virgin Atlantic topped a survey for the hottest flight attendants in the air.

This year, the sexy women of Virgin Australia are being entered in etiquette class to help tone down their oozing sex appeal and get it under control for the passengers.

Cabin crews are being asked to participate in a program called Elevate, an etiquette, wine-appreciation, grooming and body language class, in an effort to try to win business customers from flailing rival, Qantas, reports Huff Po.

One flight attendant has claimed that the new etiquette classes were in fact about changing the cabin crew's sexualized image, according to Britain's Sunday Telegraph.

The flight attendant told the paper, "They want us to get away from that 'sex' look that's been attached to the company."

Among the changes, flight attendants will no longer be able to greet passengers as "mate" - unless the person is a Frequent Flyer and has specifically requested they want to be addressed that way on the airline's database.

According to the Christian Post, earlier this year Virgin Australia hired a "whispering coach" to teach their business crew to talk at a level between 20 and 30 decibels, which is considered the most appropriate level for business class passengers.

When you fly - what type of flight attendant to you wish to have?

(Image: WENN)

* Title, article updated to reflect Virgin Australia as the airline that has flight attendants entered into an etiquette program. - Ed.