#IDAHOTB: Air France celebrates diversity with LGBTQ-crewed flights to SFO, ATH

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is being observed on Monday (May 17) – and Air France is marking the occasion with special LGBTQ-crewed flights to San Francisco and Athens, among other awareness-raising activities.

“We must all be able to develop with the greatest respect for who we are,” wrote Anne Rigail, CEO of Air France, in French, on her Twitter account. “On this international day against homophobia & transphobia, we at #AirFrance are committed to serving a more inclusive world.”

Reaffirming a commitment to inclusion and respect for diversity, Air France is doing the following today to promote inclusion and respect for diversity:

• Two special "LGBT+ friendly" flights will fly from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to San Francisco (SFO) (AF084) and Athens (ATH) (flight AF1532).
• Air France and other major groups and associations will be among the signatories of a tribune initiated by l’Autre Cercle and published in the newspaper Les Echos
• A Webinar for company staff, promoting exchange and sharing, will be held with Air France CEO Anne Rigail, l’Autre Cercle and the association Personn'ailes.

The airline says fighting against all forms of discrimination is essential to progress and to ensure equality, respect and tolerance, as well as promoting an inclusive work environment in which each employee can be themselves.

Diversity & inclusion 

The last few years have been marked by several initiatives led by Air France.

• In 2019, the airline signed the association l'Autre Cercle’s LGBT+ Commitment Charter, which fights against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• In 2020, Air France took part in l’Autre Cercle’s second barometer on the inclusion of LGBT+ people in the workplace in France. This survey questioned, at national level, more than 1,200 LGBT+ people representative of the metropolitan population and nearly 17,000 employees working in organizations that have signed l’Autre Cercle’s LGBT+ Commitment Charter. At Air France, over 600 employees took part in this survey. Nearly 90 per cent of them said they were satisfied with Air France's diversity policy against discrimination.

• In Oct. 2020, Air France purser Lou Andréa Colliaux was named as l'Autre Cercle’s Role Model in the "LGBT+ Leader" category. l’Autre Cercle’s Role Models are 95 professionals who have distinguished themselves with their actions in favour of the inclusion and visibility of LGBT+ people and are divided into four categories: LGBT+ directors, directors supporting the LGBT+ cause, LGBT+ leaders and young LGBT+ graduates.
• In 2021, Personn'ailes is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Set up in 2001, Personn'ailes is the first LGBT+ and gay friendly association set up by a French airline.

In 20 years of joint work between Air France and Personn'ailes, a lot has been achieved. 

Today, STI-HIV prevention is available to all, transitional paths are supported, LGBT+ phobia is denounced and dealt with as soon as it is confirmed by the Human Resources division, and "diversity" advisors exist in each department of the company.

LGBT+ visibility is “no longer a subject but a daily reality,” Air France said. “And working groups are organized on issues related to parenthood, in particular as part of the renegotiation of the gender equality agreement.”

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