German airline Lufthansa has announced that it will now greet customers with gender-neutral terms of reference.
According to CNN, Lufthansa Group, which also owns Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, says that it is encouraging staff to not use gendered language when dealing with passengers.
CNN reports that a spokesperson for the company said its staff will now refer to passengers as "guests" by default, with the typical greeting on its flights changed to "Good morning here on board [name of flight.]"
The spokesperson stated:
"Diversity and equality are core values for our company and our corporate culture.
"From now on, we want to express this attitude in our language as well — and show that diversity is not just a phrase, but a lived reality.
"We have not banned addressing our guests as 'Dear Sir or Madam' — our aim is to welcome everyone on board on an equal basis."
On social media, a number of Twitter users have applauded the change in official terminology.
For example, one Twitter user wrote: "Thank you! I love flying Lufthansa."
Another added: "A very welcome change!"
While a third chimed in: "Great, it seems super odd that we distinguish along gender lines when greeting people."
This comes not long after Disney World announced that it would be changing its greeting policy to a more gender-neutral alternative when greeting guests at the theme park.
Per Insider, the change has been made as part of the Orlando resort's latest initiative to promote inclusivity by discarding gendered language.
Insider reports that Disney World's new greeting policy was made public after employees were invited to a cast member preview of the "Happily Ever After" fireworks show on Wednesday, June 30.
Footage shared on social media of the first fireworks show hosted at the Magic Kingdom park since the outbreak of the pandemic shows that the preshow recording was changed.
As you can hear in the video above, Disney World has replaced the traditional welcome of: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls", with one that instead says: "Good evening, dreamers of all ages!"
