United on Friday became the first U.S. airline to allow
passengers to book under gender-neutral identification options.
United passengers booking in all channels can now identify
their gender as "unspecified" and "undisclosed" in addition
to "male" or "female." The identification should correspond
with what is indicated on the passenger's passport or identification, the carrier
said.
Passengers can also use the gender-neutral title "Mx"
along with traditional titles such as Mr. and Mrs. during booking and on their
Mileage Plus account.
"United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT
inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these
inclusive booking options for our customers," United chief customer
officer Toby Enqvist said in a statement.
Other U.S. airlines are expected to implement similar
options soon. In February, the trade group Airlines for America said it and
IATA had approved a standard to become effective June 1 for nonbinary gender
flight booking.