In response to the letter criticising our sponsorship of Brighton Pride (3 August), British Airways has a long and proud history of supporting the LGBT+ community and Brighton Pride. More than 100 colleagues from our LGBT+ network Flying Proud took part in the events of the weekend, flying the flag for modern Britain. As a global airline, with a diverse base of customers and colleagues, diversity and inclusion are key to delivering a better service for our customers, and to enable an open and welcoming culture for all our colleagues.
Like all UK airlines, we are legally obliged to comply with deportation law when asked to do so by the Home Office. Under the Data Protection Act, airlines do not receive any personal data about the individual being deported – this includes their sexual orientation and the reason for their deportation. It is not our role to second guess the legal position of individuals, and we have been surprised at the suggestion that other airlines have done so. We are assured by the Home Office that no one who is found to be at risk of persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation and/or gender identity will be returned to their country of origin. We take our responsibilities very seriously. When carrying an individual who is being deported, we always complete a full risk assessment that considers the safety and welfare of the individual, as well as our customers and crew.
Alex Cruz
British Airways chief executive and chairman
• As a schoolboy in the 1950s the word “queer” was always something I associated with anger, hatred, intolerance, unpleasantness and bigotry. Coming from a very tolerant and progressive family, I always disliked the way words such as “queer” and “homo” seemed to designate certain people as somehow “not normal”, to be feared and excluded – and worse. I understand why people in the LGBTQIA+ communities, want to “reclaim” the word as a positive, but to me it can never shake off its awful connotations. Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but I much prefer the word “gay”, which – to me as a straight man – has always been warm, friendly and out in the sunlight, unlike the dark, divisive and even sinister associations of “queer” homosexuality as portrayed almost universally in the media 60-odd years ago.
Giles Oakley
London
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