US airline promises non-binary options after discrimination accusation
Delta Air Lines has promised to offer ‘non-binary’ as a passenger gender option for boarding passes this year after an American woman complained on social media that her non-binary child could not purchase a ticket.
The US airline issued a statement after social media user Aurora Dawn – a self-proclaimed ‘LGBTQ ally’ – accused Delta of discriminating against non-binary people.
Dawn claimed that she was unable to purchase a ticket for her “non-binary adult child” because US transport authorities require boarding passes to match state-issued identification. She said that while TSA accepts the gender ‘X’ for non-binary passengers, Delta only allows those purchasing a ticket to identify as male or female.
As the woman’s child had ‘X’ listed on their official birth certificate and driver’s license, selecting male or female for the ticket would not match their identification.
“As it stands, at least with @Delta, #nonbinary people are not allowed to fly,” Dawn tweeted, arguing, “When a policy makes it impossible to buy a ticket that will comport with TSA guidelines, the result is the same. And that’s discrimination.”
Though Delta Air Lines announced that it would add non-binary options in 2019, the company claimed in a statement to have been sidetracked by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Delta Air Lines is a proud, long-time supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and we understand that being seen and acknowledged is part of having an equitable travel experience,” a Delta spokesperson said on Monday.
The spokesperson explained that while the company “quickly shifted focus due to COVID in early 2020 to helping customers navigate the rapidly changing environment and government regulations,” it was now “back on track to be able to offer a non-binary gender option in our booking systems in 2022.”
