Phoenix, Arizona – Three black men have recently filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, claiming that they were unjustly removed from a flight after being accused of having body odor. The men, who did not know each other and were not seated together, alleged that every black man on the flight from Phoenix to New York on January 5th was asked to leave the plane.
The men, identified as Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, stated in a joint statement that they felt singled out for being Black and were left feeling embarrassed and humiliated by the incident. The Texas-based airline responded by saying they are investigating the matter as it does not align with their core values of caring for people.
According to a federal lawsuit filed by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the three men were approached by a flight attendant after already being seated on the flight and asked to exit the plane. It became apparent to the men that every black man on the flight was being targeted for removal.
The lawsuit detailed that the men, along with five others, were informed by an airline agent that they were being removed due to a complaint about body odor from a white male flight attendant, a claim the men dispute as racially motivated. Despite efforts to rebook the men on other flights, they were eventually allowed to reboard the original flight to New York.
The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages for the emotional trauma and distress experienced by the men during the incident. This incident comes after the NAACP issued a travel advisory in 2017 urging black Americans to avoid American Airlines due to discrimination, which was only lifted once the airline made operational changes.
American Airlines responded by stating that they take all claims of discrimination seriously and are committed to providing a positive experience for their customers. They emphasize that the current allegations do not align with their values of caring for people and are actively investigating the matter.