Reactions Trail Decision of American Airlines to Remove Black Passengers From Flight ‘Over Body Odour’

The American Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer, Robert Isom, has said that the removal of several Black passengers from a flight is unacceptable.

Isom said this as the American Airlines placed an unspecified number of employees on leave following an incident in which several Black passengers were removed from a flight in Phoenix, allegedly due to a complaint about body odour.

AP quoted Isom as saying, “I am incredibly disappointed by what happened on that flight and the breakdown of our procedures,” adding, “It contradicts our values. … We fell short of our commitments and failed our customers in this incident.”

Last month, three Black passengers sued the airline, alleging they were removed from the January flight because of racial discrimination.

They claimed a white male flight attendant had complained about an unidentified passenger’s body odor.

The men, who did not know each other and were seated separately, were among eight passengers—all the Black men on the flight—who were asked to leave the plane.

The passengers demanded an explanation for their removal during a confrontation with airline personnel in the jet bridge.

At least one man recorded the discussion, capturing an airline employee seemingly agreeing that they had been discriminated against, according to the lawsuit. After about an hour, they were allowed back on the plane.

American Airlines did not disclose the number or roles of the employees placed on leave.

But a spokesperson stated, “We are holding those involved accountable, including removing team members from service.”

Isom announced the formation of an advisory group to enhance the experience of Black customers, promote the reporting of discrimination, and improve diversity training to address bias and discrimination.

He also mentioned speaking with the president of the NAACP about the incident, though the civil rights group did not respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time American Airlines has faced allegations of discrimination. In 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for Black passengers flying with the airline due to multiple discrimination complaints.

American Airlines committed to making changes, leading to the advisory being lifted nearly nine months later.