United Airlines has been unveiled as this year’s official airline for Pride in London, the organisation responsible for the capital’s flagship LGBT+ Pride parade and events.
The airline’s employees will join this year’s London Pride march on July 2 and are entering a colourful float into the parade.
United said it has a “proud history” of supporting LGBTQ+ communities and staff have previously marched together in parades and attended festivals in the UK and around the world.
In the UK, its LGBTQ+ business resource group, Equal, honoured veteran campaigner, Peter Tatchell, by presenting an award at Heathrow in recognition of the work he has undertaken over the decades to campaign for equal rights for LGBTQ+ communities and others.
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Ziv Russell, United’s EMEAI chairman of Equal, said: “We are all proud to be supporting Pride in London this year and I know that all of our employees taking part will have an exciting day as, together, we fly our United flag with pride.”
Haven Thorn, Pride in London’s head of PR, said this year’s parade marks the 50th anniversary of of the UK’s first pride protest march, which took place in London in 1972.
“After a much too long pause, we’re delighted to invite LGBT+ travellers from around the world to take part in our momentous Pride on Jul 2y, as it is expected to draw upwards of 1.5 million visitors to our capital city and is set to be one of the largest, most in-demand Pride events this summer,” he said.
This summer, United is offering up to 22 daily flights from Heathrow to the US.