One and all: how Cathay’s Fly with Pride supports LGBT+ inclusion

Our commitment to moving people forward in life also encompasses feeling welcome on board our aircraft, whether as a passenger or crew member. At Cathay, one group in particular has long been working hard to ensure this represents more than lip service.

Fly With Pride is our employee resource group, established in 2018 with two objectives: cultivate a support network of LGBT+ peers and colleagues and increase education around sexual orientation and gender identity.

“It enables people to know that they work for an organisation that accepts them for who they are,” says Josh Rogers, Head of Airport Customer Service and Network Chair and one of Fly With Pride’s founders. “It’s about making LGBT+ inclusion part of our DNA.”

June is Pride Month and an opportunity to celebrate Fly With Pride and its accomplishments. Since its inception, the group has run social networking and panel events, developed e-learning modules and driven internal policy changes. This has seen the introduction of the notion of a “plus one” for certain benefits, whether married or unmarried and irrespective of sexual orientation or gender.

“We want to be an equitable employer with a diverse employee base, and if all colleagues feel they belong, that’ll be reflected in the service they offer to our customers,” says Rogers.

It’s not just an internal focus for Fly With Pride: as part of our ambition to become one of the world’s best service brands, we’ve ensured the changes radiate into our customer experience. We’re one of the few airlines to offer a dedicated LGBT+ film collection on our inflight entertainment platform. Fly With Pride is also mooting a staff competition to nominate songs for an LGBT+ playlist, which Rogers hopes will be available to listen to on board later this year. 

This month, our social media channels have adopted Fly With Pride’s rainbow vapour trail. Rather than tokenistic “rainbow washing”, it’s reflective of the company-wide changes that Fly With Pride has helped to instil, says Rogers. “While there’s still a lot of work to do, it’s a sign of respect to say we’re an inclusive organisation, an inclusive employer and an inclusive brand.” We hope you feel this sense of belonging on board your flight today.