London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

‘Oi, you lot!’ UK’s flag carrier to get rid of ‘ladies and gentlemen’ greeting for the sake of diversity

‘Oi, you lot!’ UK’s flag carrier to get rid of ‘ladies and gentlemen’ greeting for the sake of diversity

British Airways has instructed its pilots to no longer address passengers as ladies and gentlemen, keeping the greetings gender-neutral instead. The change in policy has been touted as a nod to “inclusion and diversity.”

The UK’s flag carrier has become the latest airline to replace the traditional greeting with a gender-neutral alternative, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The change in policy has been made to avoid discriminating against the passengers who do not fall under either of the two categories, such as children, as well as “to respect new social norms,” the newspaper reported.

The BA spokesperson has appeared to confirm the move towards “woke speak,” noting the company’s commitment to “inclusion and diversity.” “We're committed to ensuring that all our customers feel welcome when travelling with us,” the BA spokesperson said.

The announcement did not go down well with conservative-leaning commentators. Some went as far as to declare the carrier’s decision to dump the phrase, long seen as a standard and polite form of address, an “attack” on the British national character.

“It’s an attack on everything we are,” Laurence Fox, actor and leader of UK’s Reclaim party, tweeted. Lockdown sceptic and Brexit supporter Fox ran in the London mayoral elections earlier this year, receiving less than 2% of the popular vote.


"When will this ridiculousness end?" another conservative Brexit supporter tweeted, while yet another blasted the British flag carrier for turning into “Woke Airways.”



While passengers boarding a British Airways flight will no longer hear “ladies and gentlemen,” it’s unclear how the air travellers will be addressed going forward, with The Telegraph reporting that “BA has traditionally encouraged its pilots to bring their own personalities into onboard announcements.”

Quick-witted netizens wasted no time in coming up with more or less appropriate greetings of their own. A self-professed “transport enthusiast” suggested eschewing courtesies and just call those boarding the plane “passengers, nothing more, nothing less.”

“We are paying for our passage. Irrespective of what cabin we are sitting in. 'We would like to welcome passengers aboard this…'“ very simple, nobody needs to get upset,” the user tweeted.


Other suggestions included seemingly all-encompassing “human and non-human space occupiers” as well as down-to-earth (no pun intended) “fly buddies,” and "Hello, All."



One commenter argued that since the traditional polite greeting is no longer in vogue, one with a tinge of familiarity might be the best option. ‘Oi, you lot’ sounds so much better,” they tweeted.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×