DALLAS: American Airlines (AA) put an unspecified number of employees on leave following an incident where several Black passengers were removed from a flight in Phoenix due to an alleged complaint about body odor.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed disappointment in a note to staff, calling the incident unacceptable and a breakdown of procedures that contradicts the airline’s values. Three Black passengers have sued the airline, claiming racial discrimination as the reason for their removal from the January flight. They reported that a white male flight attendant complained about an unidentified passenger’s body odor, leading to all eight Black men on the flight being asked to leave. The passengers, who did not know each other and were seated separately and a confrontation also took place with the airline personnel. After about an hour, they were allowed back on the plane.
American Airlines has not disclosed the number or roles of the employees put on leave. A spokesperson stated that those involved are being held accountable. Isom announced the formation of an advisory group to enhance the experience of Black customers, improve the reporting of discrimination, and refine diversity training to address bias and discrimination more effectively.
Isom, who discussed the incident with the president of the NAACP, highlighted American’s ongoing commitment to addressing such issues. In 2017, the NAACP had warned Black travelers about flying with American Airlines due to similar discrimination allegations, which led the airline to make changes, resulting in the advisory being lifted nearly nine months later.
