Delta’s top DEI officer sparks fury by canning ‘ladies and gentlemen’ announcement at departures’ gates [Video]

16:58 EDT 11 Aug 2024, updated 17:16 EDT 11 Aug 2024

Delta Air Lines’ top Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) officer has sparked fury after suggesting to ban the term ‘ladies and gentlemen’ in departure gates announcements.

Keyra Lynn Johnson, Delta’s Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Impact Officer, called for the end of the use of the polite greeting, questioning whether it was ‘gender inclusive’ enough.

The bizarre statement was first made during a panel discussion in February 2021 with other DEI members – and Johnson still sits at the helm of the company’s DEI department today. 

‘So we’re beginning to take a hard look at things like our gatehouse announcements. You know, we welcome “ladies and gentlemen.”

‘And we’ve asked ourselves, ‘Is that as gender inclusive as we want to be?’ she said, referring to the popular expression.