Our society is progressively becoming a more inclusive one. This evolution is also starting to be visible in the aviation industry, with airlines like Lufthansa paying attention to apparently small details, making a difference in a modern and tolerant community.
Aufwiedersehen “Meine Damen und Herren”
A frequent flyer knows the welcome greeting by heart: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome onboard (…)”. However, one airline has made an important decision: it will eliminate this way of welcoming passengers since it considers this sentence is not inclusive enough. The carrier we are talking about is Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa.
When asked about the reason for this decision, a spokesperson of the airline said the greeting is not gender-neutral. When welcoming passengers onboard a flight, the airline wants to address every person seated in the aircraft, no matter how they perceive themselves. Each individual should feel the airline is thinking about them: even the smallest detail such as changing the introduction of the welcome greeting can make the difference.
The new welcome greeting
Given that Lufthansa will get rid of “Meine Damen und Herren”, what will replace this long-lasting greeting formula? The answer is straightforward: the cabin crew addressing the passengers will be free to choose a more inclusive salutation, like, for example, “good morning”, “good afternoon”, or simply “welcome on board.” The English equivalent of “Meine Damen und Herren”, “Ladies and Gentlemen”, will also be wiped out from Lufthansa’s passengers’ announcements (PAs).
It is important for us to consider everyone when greeting our customers
These are the words of Lufthansa’s spokesperson, who commented on the news. Such decision will also apply to Lufthansa’s partner airlines Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Brussels Airlines and low-cost carrier Eurowings.
What do you think of this step towards equality for the German carrier? Let us know in the comments below!
