Three black men have initiated a racial discrimination lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that they were removed from a flight due to a complaint about “body odour”.
The plaintiffs, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, were strangers to each other before the incident.
The lawsuit details that on January 5, 2024, the plaintiffs, along with five other Black passengers, were approached by an airline representative and instructed to disembark from Flight 832, which was scheduled to fly from Phoenix to New York City.
The court documents stated that as the plaintiffs complied with the directive, they observed that only Black men were being asked to leave the plane.
Once off the aircraft, an airline staff member informed them that their removal was due to a complaint about body odour.
The plaintiffs noted that they were not specifically accused of having body odour, and they asserted that none of them had an offensive odour.
After being told they would need to be re-booked on another flight, the airline reversed its decision upon realising there were no available flights that evening.
The men expressed their dismay, comparing their treatment to an improbable scenario where white passengers would be removed due to a complaint about one individual’s odour.
They argued that the only explanation for their removal was racial discrimination.
American Airlines has stated that it is investigating the incident, adding that the allegations do not align with its core values.
“We take all claims of discrimination very seriously and want our customers to have a positive experience when they choose to fly with us.
“Our teams are currently investigating the matter, as the claims do not reflect our core values or our purpose of caring for people,” the airline said in a statement.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers pointed out that this incident is part of a broader pattern of discriminatory treatment of Black travellers by American Airlines.
Attorney Michael Kirkpatrick maintained that the treatment of the plaintiffs and other Black passengers over the years is unacceptable and that Jackson, Joseph, and Veal deserve justice.
“American Airlines treatment of the Black men aboard Flight 832—and countless other Black passengers and passengers of colour over many years—cannot be tolerated. Jackson, Joseph, and Veal deserve justice,” Attorney Kirkpatrick said.