Japan Airlines scraps 'ladies and gentlemen' in favour of gender-neutral greetings

Airline becomes first in Japan to make move as part of commitment to tackle gender-based discrimination

Japan Airlines is replacing ladies and gentlemen" in its in-flight and airport announcements with gender-neutral expressions, beginning in October.

The formerly state-owned airline will use phrases such as all passengers", good morning" and good evening" in its English announcements. The standard term used in Japanese minna-sama" - an honorific form of everybody" - is already gender neutral.