Transgender activist Shahzadi Rai has said on Friday that Fly Dubai had barred her and another transgender activist from travelling on their flight.
Rai took to Twitter to share her experience with Fly Dubai stating that she and her Project Manager Zarish were barred from travelling from Karachi to Dubai because of her X gender.
The activist who works with the Gender Interactive Alliance narrated the incident in a video clip.
“We had a flight to attend our annual meeting, me and my project manager, Zarish. But they cancelled our ticket because we had written X in our gender category. This is extremely transphobic.”
@FlyDubaiRBLX didn’t allow us to on board their plane due to my X gender identity. @flydubai shame on u pic.twitter.com/vipyrWP4Jg
— Shahzadi Rai (@ShahzadiRai) January 20, 2023
In the next tweet, Rai shared a screenshot of her flight ticket and wrote that although transgender people are a part of mainstream community in other countries, it was shocking to witness Fly Dubai indulge in transphobic behavior.
“Transgender persons are part of the main stream in other countries but Fly Dubai doesn’t allow x-gender cards to travel, Transphobic behaviour by Fly Dubai, if they don’t allow us to travel on their plane, why did they issue a ticket.”
Transgender persons are part in main stream in other countries but Fly Dubai don’t allow x-gender cards to travel, Transphobic behaviour by Fly Dubai, if they don’t allow to travel on plane so why they issue ticket. pic.twitter.com/Zck4Sgqtvp
— Shahzadi Rai (@ShahzadiRai) January 20, 2023
Since this post was uploaded yesterday, many transgender activists and otter public figures have criticized the airline. Transgender activists like Mehrub Moiz Awan and Hina Baloch slammed Fly Dubai on their twitter accounts, and have called for Pakistan’s Foreign Office to address the matter.
Fly Dubai has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.
