Virgin Atlantic Reviews Gender Neutral Policy for New Saudi Route

04.09.2024 - 00:07 / skift.com / Virgin Atlantic / Gordon Smith

Virgin Atlantic is launching a major new route from Heathrow to Saudi Arabia next March and it is finding it needs to balance some of its policies to conform to local customs.

In recent years, the airline has been proactive in its diversity messaging. The airline’s Gender Identity Policy, published in 2022, allows cabin crew, pilots, and ground personnel to choose which uniform best represents them. This is irrespective of their gender, gender identity, or gender expression. At the time, Virgin said the move “cements its position as the most inclusive airline in the skies.”

However, Virgin Atlantic confirmed to Skift it is advising its crew on Saudi flights to wear uniforms that do not reflect the gender shown on their passport. 

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “We carry out risk assessments of every destination we fly to, for the safety of our people. Following this risk assessment, to ensure the safety of our crew traveling to Saudi Arabia, we advise our crew should wear the uniform that reflects the gender shown in their passport.”

The decision isn’t the first time Virgin’s gender-neutral stance has come under pressure. In 2022, the airline said the uniform policy would not apply to crew on board a special flight carrying the England football team to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism website addresses LGBTQ+ travel in an FAQ section: “Everyone is welcome to visit Saudi. We ask that visitors respect our culture and traditions and follow our laws as they would when visiting any other country in the world,” it says. “Like other governments around the world, visitors are not required to disclose their personal information and we will respect visitors’ right to privacy.”

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, first announced in 2016, outlines an economic transformation plan with tourism as a central pillar. The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has upped its 2030 target by another 50 million visitors, to a total of 150 million a year by the start of the new decade.

On LinkedIn, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss noted that the new service is launching in time “to participate in the growth expected from Saudi Vision 2030.”

Weiss also referenced the carrier’s inclusivity: “We can’t wait to bring our iconic and inclusive brand, award-winning experience, and our exceptional team to new customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Weiss said.

Perception was one of the key topics discussed by Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin in May. Speaking at an event attended by Skift about Saudi’s tourism push he said: “Let people come and make their own judgments. No matter what we claim, it’s not the same [as seeing it]. By 2030, a lot of perceptions can change. A lot of people may still say it might