According to sources, American Airlines has placed several of its employees on leave after their alleged involvement in an incident that resulted in the removal of multiple Black passengers from a flight in Phoenix. The reason for the removal was reportedly due to a complaint about body odor. The exact number of employees placed on leave has not been disclosed by the airline.
In a memo addressed to the employees, Robert Isom, CEO of an American company, expressed his disapproval of the incident, citing it as unacceptable.
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In a recent note, Isom expressed his profound disappointment over the events that unfolded during the flight and the failure of their procedures. He acknowledged that the incident was a stark contradiction to their company’s values and that they had fallen short of their commitments, resulting in a letdown for their customers.
Last month, three Black passengers filed a lawsuit against the airline, alleging that they were forcibly removed from a January flight due to racial discrimination. The airline claimed that a white male flight attendant had complained about a passenger’s body odor, but the plaintiffs argue that this was merely a pretext for discriminatory behavior.
As they awaited departure for New York, the three men, who did not know one another, were seated separately. They explained that they were part of a group of eight Black men on the flight who were singled out and asked to leave the plane.
According to the lawsuit, during a confrontation with airline personnel in the jet bridge, the men demanded an explanation for their removal. At least one of them recorded the discussion and captured an airline employee seeming to agree that discrimination was involved in their removal.
After waiting for an hour, they were finally permitted to board the plane again.
The number of employees who were put on leave by American was not disclosed, nor were their job titles mentioned. However, a representative for the airline stated that those who were involved are being held responsible, which includes the removal of team members from service.
According to Isom, American Airlines will establish an advisory group aimed at addressing the needs of Black customers, encouraging the reporting of discrimination claims, and enhancing diversity training. The training will be geared towards recognizing and addressing bias and discrimination in real-world situations.
CBS News reported earlier that Isom had discussed the incident with the president of the NAACP, as stated in his note. The civil rights organization did not provide a comment when approached for a response on Thursday.
Back in 2017, American Airlines was accused of discrimination against Black passengers. The NAACP even issued a warning to Black travelers, citing multiple instances where African American passengers were treated unfairly by the airline’s staff. However, American Airlines pledged to improve its services and address the issue, which eventually led to the lifting of the advisory by the NAACP after almost nine months.
