BJP MP raises concern over IATA code ‘GAY’ for Gaya airport; govt responds

A BJP MP has recently questioned in the Parliament why the word ‘GAY’ is being used as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) identifier code for Bihar’s Gaya international airport, despite its “offensive” nature. While the government has responded that the code is permanent and cannot be altered, the MP’s comment has drawn widespread discontentment, especially from LGBTQ activists.

Controversial question

BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Bhim Singh in a recent query that he submitted in the House, asked why the word, GAY, which he said people often find “offensive” and “uncomfortable” was being used as an IATA code to denote Gaya.

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He also asked whether the government is considering changing the code name to a more “respectful” and ‘culturally appropriate” code.

Govt replies

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in a written reply to Singh’s query, said the three-letter airport codes once assigned are considered permanent and are altered only under exceptional circumstances, usually involving air safety concerns.

The three-letter airport codes, also known as IATA location identifiers, are assigned by IATA to facilitate the identification of airports across various travel-related systems and processes.

These codes are generally assigned using the first three letters of the location's name where the airport is situated, Mohol said in his reply on Monday.

‘Similar requests were made in past’

The minister also said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India have made similar requests in the past to change the name.

"IATA location codes are primarily intended for commercial airline operations and are issued at the request of airline operators. Air India had earlier approached IATA seeking change of the existing airport code. However, IATA has conveyed that under the provisions of IATA Resolution 763, assigned three-letter codes are considered permanent and are altered only under exceptional circumstances, usually involving air safety concerns," Mohol said.

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LGBTQ activists seek apology

However, Singh’s remark on the word ‘gay’, denoting homosexual individuals, hasn’t gone down well with LGBTQ activists who have called it a reflection of his deep-rooted “prejudice” against the community.

Condemning Singh’s comment that the term was “offensive”, LGBTQ activist Arvind Narrain told Hindustan Times that the MP needs to educate himself about the Supreme Court’s 2018 verdict that decriminalises same-sex relationships and recognises the rights of LGBTQ people to dignity.

“They need to educate themselves that as per the Supreme Court, what governs is not personal morality but constitutional morality. He should apologise to the community,” HT quoted Narrain as saying.

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“That the term GAY is being labelled as offensive, culturally inappropriate, or even unsafe reflects how deeply rooted the stigma against LGBTQIA+ people still is,” Shanmathi Senthil Kumar, a counselling psychologist and diversity advocate, told HT.