United Airlines will now offer passengers non-binary gender booking options, the company announced Friday. The move makes United the first U.S. air carrier to offer options inclusive of gender non-binary flyers. Functionally, the move means that passengers will now be able to select “Mx.” in addition to “Mr.” or “Mrs.” or “Ms.” when booking.
“Welcome Aboard, Mx.,” the company offered in a headline to the release.
In a statement, United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist hailed the decision as a triumph for “LGBT inclusivity.”
“United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these inclusive booking options for our customers,” Enqvist said. “United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees.”
To help streamline the move, United consulted with LGBT advocacy organizations including the Trevor Project and Human Rights Campaign.
“The Trevor Project is grateful for United Airlines’ support of our life-saving work on behalf of LGBTQ youth,” Amit Paley, CEO & executive director of The Trevor Project, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring Trevor’s expertise on the mental health of LGBTQ people to United to ensure its employees maintain safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ employees and guests.”
It’s unclear why the airline decided to move now or what prompted them embrace the cause of non-binary passengers. Reps for the company did not immediately respond to request for comment.