This suggestion was made during a panel discussion in February 2021, highlighting a shift toward gender inclusivity.

She’s pushing to redefine how Delta addresses its passengers, challenging the old-school “ladies and gentlemen” to better reflect today’s diverse society. This change is part of Delta’s broader mission to rethink the language it uses to communicate with travelers.

“So we’re beginning to take a hard look at things like our gatehouse announcements. You know, we welcome ‘ladies and gentlemen.’ And we’ve asked ourselves, ‘Is that as gender inclusive as we want to be?’” Johnson pointed out during her panel discussion.

The airline is reviewing how even small phrases in employee manuals might unintentionally exclude people, aiming to overhaul how inclusivity is woven into its verbal and written communications.

Johnson said: “You know, we’re looking at some legacy language that exists in some of our employee manuals. And getting to the root of the way some things are described and saying, ‘Does that actually send a message of inclusivity?'”   

This directive advises against using binary terms like “male” and “female,” promoting a more inclusive approach in all customer interactions.

As part of their new focus on inclusivity, the guide said: “Do not use language that suggests a gender binary (male-female).” Delta’s most recent change is the most recent adjustment in line with this new approach.

Social media has become a battleground of perspectives, with one person saying, “Delta is my preferred airline – but not now.”

One social media user said, “Maybe Delta should worry more about timeliness, bad customer service, high prices and doors falling off planes.” 

Someone commented on a post made by right-wing provocateur, Oli London: “If you’re going to exclude the only two real genders, then the only two real genders will exclude you when choosing an airline. Does that sound fair enough to you @Delta, @DeltaNewsHub?”

One commenter on the Daily Mail site said: “How about we worry about keeping the plane from crashing to the ground in a huge fireball? That’s my biggest priority if I’m flying Delta, not whether a proper pronoun was used by its staff.”

“Delta encourages our people to use language that is inclusive of everyone as our global customer base includes a broad range of diversity in cultural backgrounds, identity, and experiences,” the spokesperson said.

In 2021, Johnson emphasized the importance of Delta to be an “antiracist company.” Johnson said: “We are going to actively seek diversity. We’re also talking about how we’re going to boldly pursue equity. And we’re talking about the steps we’re taking to consciously promote inclusion.”

This new strategy would have a focus on being “intentional about the representation that we need.” Metrics on the company’s representation would be closely tracked and monitored by Delta’s DEI team.

“Perhaps the greatest challenge has been normalizing those conversations. Notice I said the company has set an expectation that those conversations are to be normalized … That doesn’t mean everyone feels that way. It doesn’t mean that everyone’s comfortable having those conversations,” Johnson said.

A spokesperson said: “Delta is demonstrating an authentic commitment to being a workplace where all people can thrive and where we reflect the rich humanity of the customers and communities we serve across the globe.”

Lufthansa has also opted to replace ‘ladies and gentlemen’ with alternatives like ‘dear guests,’ striving to make everyone on board feel included.

Alternatives like ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening’ are being favored to greet the diverse crowd onboard.  

This reflects a broader commitment to inclusivity that’s taking hold in the skies.

Air Canada made similar changes in 2019 that did not attract any vitriol. A representative said: “We will be amending our onboard announcements to modernize them and remove specific references to gender.”

Airlines globally, including EasyJet and Air Canada, have started to modify their greetings as part of a wider effort to respect and acknowledge the diversity of modern travelers.

In June 2021, an FAA committee report on the drone industry recommended that aviation terminology be gender-neutral. The examples they cited were words such as “airman” and “unmanned” which they argued should be replaced with “aviator” and “uncrewed.”

A Lufthansa spokesperson said that the “issue of gender-neutral language varies from country to country.” In English, most nouns are gender-neutral, whereas in languages like German, French and Spanish, every noun is gendered. The spokesperson told CNN Travel it “depends on whether gender-neutral language is already being used in the various countries and is already made possible by responsible institutions.”

The ongoing review of communication practices is part of a larger strategy aimed at creating a welcoming environment for all passengers and employees, reflecting the company’s commitment to diversity and equity.