American Airlines has placed several employees on leave following an incident where Black passengers were removed from a flight after a complaint about body odor.
This action comes in response to a lawsuit filed by three Black men alleging racial discrimination.
CEO Robert Isom acknowledged the company’s failure to meet customer commitments and announced initiatives to prevent similar occurrences, including an advisory group focused on Black passengers’ experiences.
“We are holding those involved accountable, including removing team members from service,” the airline said in a statement.
The incident, which occurred on January 5th, involved the removal of eight passengers, with the plaintiffs claiming all Black men were singled out. The three men who filed the lawsuit were eventually allowed to re-board.
“We fell short of our commitments and failed our customers,” Isom said.
This isn’t American Airlines’ first encounter with discrimination allegations. In 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory against the airline, citing a pattern of discriminatory behavior.
While that advisory was lifted in 2018 after promised changes, the NAACP has now warned it may be reinstated unless the airline responds decisively to this recent incident.
The situation highlights ongoing challenges in addressing racial bias in air travel and the need for sustained efforts to create inclusive environments in the airline industry.