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Canada’s largest airlines are awaiting details from the federal government before they follow their U.S. counterparts in allowing travellers to choose gender designations outside the traditional “male” and “female” check-in categories.

Major U.S. airlines said last week they will change their ticketing so passengers can identify themselves along non-binary lines, representing a victory for transgender recognition.

That change comes after a pair of major trade groups — the International Air Transport Association and Airlines for America — approved updated standards to allow member airlines to offer two new gender options: “unspecified” or “unidentified.”

In 2 0 1 7, Ottawa announced that travellers will be able to specify their gender with an “X” on their passport, instead of “F” for female or “M” for male.

The website for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says the change is coming “soon.” Until then, passengers can request an “observation text” free of charge on their passport that notes their sex should be marked as “X,” said Mathieu Genest, press secretary to Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen. “IRCC is working diligently to introduce the ‘ X’ gender identifier in its official documents,” Genest said in an email.

The National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents Air Canada, WestJet Airlines Ltd. and other companies, said Monday that members are “awaiting developments and details” on the plan before altering their check-in systems.

U.S. airlines American, Delta and United confirmed Friday they are updating their booking to add lessconventional gender categories, such as “Mx.” or “undisclosed.”

The airlines are making the check-in change despite resistance from the U.S. State Department.

A lengthy legal battle saw U.S. navy veteran Dana Zzyym, who identifies as neither male nor female, fight to get a passport without having to designate a gender. A federal court ruled in September that the State Department could not deny a passport to Zzyym.

Hélène Montreuil, a lawyer and trans advocate based in Quebec City, said aligning government-issued IDS with self-perception is both a psychological and a practical matter.

“It’s a question of how you see yourself, how you interact with the world,” said Montreuil. “I’d prefer to have an ‘F’ on my passport and to present myself as a woman ... In Saudi Arabia, if your gender does not match, the (Canadian) government can do nothing for you.”

Foreign states remain a substantial hurdle.

“For international travel we need to know whether other governments and other airline partners will recognize this designation,” said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick.