Three Black Men File Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against American Airlines.
By Caroline Ameh
Three black men have initiated legal action against American Airlines, alleging racial discrimination after they were temporarily removed from a flight following a complaint about body odour, sparking renewed scrutiny over the airline’s treatment of minority passengers.
On Thursday, a federal lawsuit was filed by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal accuse American Airlines of singling them out based on their race, leading to their embarrassing and humiliating removal from a flight departing from Phoenix, Arizona, to New York on January 5.
According to the lawsuit, the men, who were seated separately and did not know each other, were approached by a flight attendant while preparing for departure and asked to exit the plane. Subsequently, they realized that every black man on the flight had been removed.
Allegedly, the decision to remove them was based on a complaint about body odour made by a white male flight attendant, an assertion the men vehemently deny. Despite attempts by American Airlines staff to re-book them on alternative flights, the men were eventually allowed to re-board the original flight to New York.
In response to the allegations, American Airlines stated that they are actively investigating the incident, emphasizing that such actions do not align with the company’s values of inclusivity and respect for all passengers.
The lawsuit outlines the emotional distress suffered by the plaintiffs, including feelings of embarrassment, humiliation, anxiety, anger, and distress, exacerbated by the false announcement made to passengers regarding the reason for the delay.
Emmanuel Jean Joseph, one of the men involved in the lawsuit, likened the experience to the historical injustices faced by civil rights icon Rosa Parks, highlighting the ongoing prevalence of racial discrimination in modern society.
Mr. Joseph stressed the importance of holding American Airlines accountable, expressing concern that without significant repercussions, the airline may not enact meaningful changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This lawsuit comes amid previous concerns raised by civil rights groups, including the NAACP, regarding discriminatory practices by American Airlines. In 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory urging black Americans to avoid the airline due to reported incidents of discrimination. The advisory was lifted the following year after American Airlines pledged operational changes.
