British Airways has stopped using the phrase 'ladies and gentlemen' in its cabin announcements as part of a move towards more inclusive language. The airline's pilots and cabin crew have been instructed to use gender-neutral terms when addressing passengers, reflecting a shift in customer expectations.
A spokesperson for British Airways confirmed the change, stating: 'We celebrate diversity and inclusion and we're committed to ensuring that all our customers feel welcome when travelling with us.' The airline noted that it has been using inclusive language at airports for over a year.
British Airways joins a growing list of carriers adopting gender-neutral greetings. Air Canada led the way in October 2019, replacing 'ladies and gentlemen' with 'everyone'. Japan Airlines and Lufthansa followed, with the latter using 'dear guests'. Air Malta also announced a switch last month, adopting terms like 'guests'.
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder of advertising agency WPP, commented that while the change is 'a sign of the times', passengers are more concerned with practical aspects of flying. Transport for London abandoned 'ladies and gentlemen' in 2017 after campaigning by LGBT charity Stonewall, which described the phrase as 'outdated'.
