Travelport will be ready to implement a new booking code for non-binary gender airline passengers when it goes live on 1 June.
The new code offers the option to choose “X”, rather than “M” or “F”, when a passenger is required to provide such advance passenger information. Such information needs to be provided for customers travelling to or in transit to Algeria, Canada, China (except Hong Kong), Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Syria, Thailand, USA and the United Arab Emirates.
Travelport has pledged to make the code available to all of the 480 airlines on its platform who choose to adopt it. A number of these, such as United, American Airlines and Delta have confirmed they are preparing to bring in the new code option. Others are expected to follow.
The option to choose “X” will need to be matched with the passenger’s passport or identity document. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Nepal, The Netherlands and Pakistan already offer an option other than “M” or “F” on passports – in most cases “X”. X passports are approved by the ICAO, the UN agency that regulates international air travel.
Commenting on the introduction of the new code, Gordon Wilson, President and CEO of Travelport said “As a company committed to diversity and promoting travel for all, we are delighted that the new code for nonbinary gender passengers has now been introduced. We hope more airlines will provide this option to ensure their customers are fully respected and welcomed. For us “X” marks a vote for diversity, dignity and respect.”
About Travelport
Travelport is the technology company which makes the experience of buying and managing travel continually better. It operates a travel commerce platform providing distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the global travel and tourism industry. The company facilitates travel commerce by connecting the world’s leading travel providers with online and offline travel buyers in a proprietary business-to-business (B2B) travel platform.
Travelport has a leadership position in airline merchandising, hotel content and distribution, car rental, mobile commerce and B2B payment solutions. The company also provides critical IT services to airlines, such as shopping, ticketing, departure control and other solutions. With net revenue of over $2.5 billion in 2018, Travelport is headquartered in Langley, U.K., has over 3,700 employees and is represented in approximately 180 countries and territories.
