Many airlines are taking steps towards being more inclusive by adding a non-binary gender option ‘X’ while booking travels besides the regular ‘M’ and ‘F’.
However, the largely progressive airline, Air Canada is taking things a step further by updating their announcement phrasing to be more gender neutral and to include members of the transgender community as well.
In a report by La Presse, Air Canada recently circulated an internal memo asking all employees, including flight attendants, gate agents, and pilots, to cease referring to passengers as “ladies and gentlemen” while making their announcements.
Instead, the employees have been asked to begin their announcements with a gender-neutral “hello everyone” or “good morning everyone.” While the timeline has not yet been disclosed for this policy, it does seem to be imminent.
The memo by Air Canada reads, “We want to ensure an inclusive space for everyone, including those who identify with gender X. The change will be reflected in the transmission of the Onboard Announcement Manual as part of our commitment to respect gender identity, diversity, and inclusion. We will tell you when this transmission will be available and when to implement this change.”
