LondonKiwi

Hello peeps,

Just came across this on the NZ web site targetting the US of A market -
http://www.airnewzealand.com/booking...el/default.htm

And it made me wonder if NZ is the most gay-friendly (at least in terms of customer base) airline out there (pardon the weak pun!). I mean, there is this idea here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462483 but that's not exactly what in mind!

As an expat Kiwi I'm feeling pretty good about my country's national carrier right now - and about my home country in general. Sure, it's just marketing, but the whole tone of this piece seems really right to me. Be interested to know what others think. Anyone know of other examples of airlines "targeting" the gay market (and our pink £s, $s, whatever) that show such respect and encouragement?

On the other hand, it's a bit sad that this is only on the .com site for NZ - their web presence for the domestic (i.e. www.airnewzealand.co.nz) and UK markets (www.airnewzealand.co.uk) don't seem to feature this same content.... sigh.

Anyways, just interested in any thoughts/reactions to this.

GreatDane

SK started a similar initiative a while ago:
http://www.flysas.com/gay

jimyvr

NZ is the main sponsor of this year's Vancouver Queer Film Festival

Rick Astley

How can an airline be "gay-friendly"? They whisk people and cargo through the air on a pre-determined schedule. What does that have to do with sexual orientation?

LondonKiwi

Thanks for the info, jiml1126 and GreatDane (lucky Danes... ;-) )

@Rick Astley - interesting point. I don't know the answer to your question. I work for an organisation which is frequently said to be quite gay-friendly - to the point of, in some eyes, being part of that great Zionist-Marxist-Muslim-loving-Pinko-Fairy conspiracy we keep hearing about!). Yet I quite often feel discriminated against as a gay man at work. Can an organisation focussed - as you describe it - on the logistics of moving people and goods from A to B and back again - be pro-gay or anti-gay?

The founders of another transportation company here in the UK - Stagecoach - are often depicted as anti the queers - one of the founders, Brian Souter, was said to funding an anti-educational campaign back in 2000 - see here for more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/602714.stm

Presumably his donation would have been funded by profits from the company he started and built into a huge commercial success ... does that make Stagecoach itself anti-gay?

Food for thought...

wiredboy10003

Take a look at the Kathy Griffin segment where she goes to Mardi Gras in Sydney. Someone at the airline has to be gay friendly! The flight attendants were drag queens and even the pilots had pink hats and leis. I suspect the pilots weren't gay, just good sports about the whole thing. It reminds me of how gay stuff is treated in Montreal. It's more light hearted. There's probably no one who's going to tell you you're going to burn in the afterlife. If that's indicative of Kiwi culture, I'm there.

Most of the US carriers talk about how gay friendly they are, but has any of them ever done anything like this? In my mind, the Air NZ stunt counts for a lot.

aztimm

A recent episode of Kathy Griffin's, "My life on the D list," had her on Air New Zealand going to the Syndney Mardi Gras on the, "Pink Flight":
http://www.airnewzealand.com/aboutus...in_16jan08.htm

Any airline that has a Pink Flight is certainly targeting the gay audience:
http://www.airnzspecials.com/pinkflight/

Looked like a fun trip over....

LondonKiwi

atim and wiredboy1003 - I tend to agree with you guys. The carriers seem to reflect the values of their homeland ... e.g New Zealand, Denmark and the UK both quite "gay friendly" in terms of the approach to human rights, respect, etc.

Whereas UAE is not the most gay-friendly or respectful of places ... homosex being illegal, at least in Dubai ...although I had more fun there in one weekend than I probably do in month of Sundays in London! ;-)

- so without casting aspersions, I can't really see EK going down the BA route and sponsoring something like a Europride ...!
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-1548.html


Maybe the same for SQ as well, although this made me laugh:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=856627

adampenrith

as an ex kiwi - who had terrible discrimination in the education and work envirnoments during the late 70's and early 80's - till I fled...........

its very gratifying.

NZ has always been very forward with political movements, look at nuclear testing in the pacific during the 70's and the ban on nuclear shipping, and David Langes removal from anzus.

NZ was also the first country to give woman the vote way back 100 years or so .

So now there is civil ceremonies, Australia does not have that yet, and Air NZ does great marketing.

The community does have good spending, so why not increase market share and provide a service to special interest areas.

If the gay community did not come up with the $$$ this would not be happening, so while i won't go as far as saying they are gay friendly, I think they know how to capture a market and provide for them.

Its all good

Adam

ajax

A few ways come to mind.

As regards passengers:

- Encourage passengers of all sexual orientations to give them business;
- Actively and publicly promote transportation to gay-and-lesbian-themed events and venues;
- Ensure that customers know that they are welcome on board, regardless of their sexual orientation.

As regards employees:

- Extend benefits to same-sex partners;
- Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity;
- Promote acceptance of all sexualities throughout the organisation.

There are many airlines which tick none of the above boxes. I would say these are "not gay-friendly".

They're not claiming to be a "gay" airline (which would IMHO be rather silly), they're claiming to be a "gay-friendly" airline. There is a very clear distinction between the two, and in my mind it makes perfect sense.

Sea-Wolf

I certainly think it's a positive thing that they're appealing to the community and sponsoring community events, as well as providing extra/special services to get people to and from events.

Though I've gotta nitpick on their G&L page. Halfway down, above "Learn more about Gay Ski Week in New Zealand" is a picture of a guy holding a pink flag, only it's an Aus, not a NZ flag, note the Commonwealth star beneath the Union Jack. It's not present on the NZ flag.

Seeksreal

I have some stories I could tell about UA FAs, which would put UA right at the top of gay-friendliness.... ^

ajax

Well spotted! Also the star is white and seven-pointed - whereas we all know on the NZ flag, the star is red with a white border, and five-pointed.

Tsk tsk tsk.

adampenrith

Guys and Gals,

gay ski week in marketing in australia - hence the aussie flag.

My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that the majority of people attending come from oz - hence the pink flight SYD - ZQN.

I am sure the NZ staff know the difference between an Aussie and Kiwi flag.

Adam

Sea-Wolf

Ah, that probably does explain it. Though I have seen the Aus/NZ flag mistake made before, sometimes even when the whole flag is properly displayed as well!

Talking of other friendly airlines, Virgin Blue is a major partner of the Sydney G&L Mardi Gras and usually do quite a bit of advertising in the G&L press in the lead up to them, some of it quite clever.