According to FlyerTalk, British Airways will be the latest airline to become gender neutral.
British Airways is now open to ladies and gentlemen
British Airways will be making more gender-neutral announcements in the coming days. Onboard announcements will not refer to ladies and gentlemen as it has been historically. The airline will instead use a more neutral greeting, although the exact words will remain to be determined.
The airline is yet to make gender neutral decisions. Will gender references be removed from announcements at airports and one-to-one interactions with ground agents and flight attendants, for example?
British Airways will switch to a more gender-neutral communication strategy
British Airways is not the only airline to adopt this policy.
Air Canada was the first major airline in October 2019 to make its greetings more gender-neutral. Air Canada began using the term "everyone" instead of "ladies and gentlemen".
Air Canada was the first major airline in Canada to adjust its communication system
Japan Airlines also made similar changes in October 2020. It also adjusted its announcements to make them less gender-specific. The airline introduced a greeting that was based on the time of the day, such as good evening.
Lufthansa Group introduced gender neutral communication in July 2021. Announcements are now made with your dear guests, or good morning/evening.
It is likely that you wouldn't realize that an airline changed the way passengers are treated if you flew it. This is a huge benefit to those who are directly affected by it. Personally, I would welcome any reduction in the length of airplane announcements, as they are often too long. This is what makes it possible to eliminate ladies and gentlemen from every announcement.
Lufthansa Group has recently switched to gender-neutral communication
Bottom line
British Airways will soon be making its inflight announcements gender-neutral. Inflight announcements won't be made with gentlemen or ladies anymore.
(Tip of a hat to Paddle your Own Kanoo
