Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Duty Free Global from Ireland, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
INTERNATIONAL. Today’s images honour Pride Month, a powerfully joyous honouring of LGBTQ+ identity, progress and community, writes Martin Moodie.
Pride Month is being celebrated in many countries, including, we are pleased to say, across the travel retail, tourism and aviation sectors.
At a time when the broader concept of inclusion is under unprecedented political fire in the USA and elsewhere, we think it more important than ever to champion it.
These images appear in the immediate wake of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s despicable order to rename the US navy ship Harvey Milk. The vessel carries the name of the renowned gay rights activist and navy veteran, who was forced to resign from the force because of his sexual orientation.
Milk later became California’s first openly gay elected official, subsequently attracting a torrent of hate mail, including threats on his life. He recorded a living will ten days after his election, proclaiming, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.”
On 27 November 1978, a disgruntled former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk in their offices.
Here we bring you some of the Pride Month-related images and messages from our industry. We start with perhaps the most apposite of all, a communication from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), home to Harvey Milk Terminal 1, renamed after the activist in 2019.
The SFO Celebrates Pride Float will be on display in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 from 12 to 30 June while the airport company will have an official SFO float in the 2025 55th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade on 28-29 June. ✈
[Retailers, other commercial operators and airports, please send your images of how you are celebrating Pride Month to Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com to be included in this column.]
Air Canada’s first all-2SLGBTQIA+ flight was a heartfelt celebration reflecting the airline’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equality in the air and on the ground. This flight included representation in every role, from pilots to flight attendants and ground staff.
