Pilot union aims to phase out terms like ‘cockpit,’ ‘man’ and ‘father’

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The world’s largest airline pilot union is calling out terms that it says are non-inclusive and offensive to women and the LGBTQ+ community.

Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), which represents more than 70,000 pilots globally, worked with a United Nations agency on its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in 2021, Fox News reported.

The guide refers to several terms and phrases its employees should aim to avoid, particularly “masculine generalizations” that could offend some.

“Inclusive language in communications is essential to our union’s solidarity and collective strength and is an important factor in maintaining flight safety,” the guide states.

“The purpose of this language guide is to offer examples of terms and phrases that promote inclusion and equity.”

The word “cockpit,” for instance, should be referred to as “flight deck,” because the term “has been and may be used in a derogatory way to exclude women in the piloting profession,” according to the guide.

“Many women have heard a variation of ‘It is called a cockpit for a reason’ by a male pilot, suggesting that women do not belong in the piloting profession,” it continued.

When addressing groups, ALPA advised against using the term “guys” because “women, transgender people and people with different gender identities” could consider it non-inclusive.

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The guide also suggested that the words “man” and “men” should be avoided and uses “manpower” as an example, and instead should be referred to as “people power” or “human power.”

ALPA also recommended that “mother” and “father” should also be avoided because it could leave out “different family structures, such as grandparents as caregivers, same-sex parents,” and others.

Similarly, the same applies to “husband/wife” and “boyfriend/girlfriend” because it alienates same-sex couples.

Kyle Bailey, a former Federal Aviation Administration safety team representative, told Fox News, “Diversity really has nothing to do with safe travel. It’s basically all a matter of flight time, your credentials, your background, how much flight experience you have and also your training.”

The ex-FAA official dismissed ALPA’s DEI practices, though by doing so, arguably reinforced ALPA’s guide, explaining that “piloting is basically a male occupation. You don’t find little girls when they’re 10 years old saying, ‘Hey, I want to be an airline pilot’ or playing with little model airplanes or flying model airplanes.”

Bailey added: “It’s pretty much a male game, like it or not.”