The newlyweds were on their honeymoon.
A Black passenger is suing American Airlines for allegedly racially profiling him and accusing him of human trafficking. Anthony Williams, 63, a retired police officer, was traveling with his new wife, Katsiaryna Shasholka, 34, from Phoenix, Arizona, to Miami, Florida, in September 2022 when another passenger reported the newlyweds to the crew, who then called law enforcement upon landing.
The lawsuit alleges that the incident was a case of racial profiling and discrimination, claiming there was no reason to suspect Shasholka was in any danger. The couple took selfies during the flight, smiling and enjoying themselves. According to the lawsuit, the crew members told law enforcement that Williams was trafficking his own wife, who is white, and relied solely on the passenger’s report without conducting any due diligence.
The couple was detained upon landing while other passengers deplaned, and they were questioned by the Miami-Dade Police Department. The complaint describes the incident as humiliating and embarrassing, stating it has caused them “mental pain and suffering, sleeplessness, paranoia, panic attacks, fear, anxiety, [and] embarrassment,” The Independent reported.
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Williams told The Independent that they filed an online complaint with the airline the following day but have yet to receive a response. Meanwhile, the experience continues to affect their lives—Shasholka says she suffered a panic attack on a recent flight to Dubai. “There was nothing in our interactions the entire flight that would be indicative of somebody who was being held against their will,” Williams told the outlet. “We were just two people having a good time.”
Related: Black Passengers Sue American Airlines for Race Discrimination
Attorney Jasmine Rand, who is representing the couple, said the retired police officer spent his life fighting crime and is now being accused of a heinous crime. Meanwhile, American Airlines stated it is reviewing the allegations in the complaint.
Rand said, “Acts of racial discrimination are widespread throughout American Airlines, indicating a clear failure to train its employees and to hold them accountable when they engage in discriminatory misconduct.”
This incident is not an isolated case of alleged discrimination by American Airlines against Black passengers. In January 2022, eight passengers were removed from an American Airlines flight for alleged body odor. The men, who did not know each other and were not seated near one another, later filed a lawsuit for discrimination. Shortly after, a retired circuit judge was berated by the crew for using the first-class bathroom while traveling first-class with her family. The lawsuit details these incidents, suggesting a pattern of discriminatory behavior.
In June 2024, the NAACP spoke out against the airline for a series of incidents. President and CEO Derrick Johnson also threatened to reinstate a travel advisory against the airline for failing to treat passengers fairly. A similar advisory was issued in 2017 following hostile incidents on American Airlines flights but was lifted in 2018 after the airline implemented online and classroom training for its employees.
Related: NAACP Threatens to Reinstate Travel Advisory Against American Airlines