In a response to a troubling incident on a Phoenix flight, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom is taking a stand against racial discrimination within the company. According to a note to staff, Isom called the incident "unacceptable," expressing his disappointment and acknowledging a "breakdown of our procedures." He said, "We fell short of our commitments and failed our customers in this incident."
In the aftermath, an undisclosed number of American Airlines employees have been placed on administrative leave for their role in the January event, wherein eight Black men, not known to each other and the only Black passengers on the flight, were reportedly removed from the aircraft due to an unfounded complaint about body odor. The airline failed to offer another flight to New York for these men, but approximately an hour of discussion led to them being permitted back on the plane, as per the lawsuit filed in federal court in New York and reported by azfamily.com.
Isom's note, which was first made public by CBS News, further detailed that the airline is instituting an advisory group to address the experiences of Black customers. This group aims to facilitate the reporting of discrimination and improve diversity training. Isom relayed that these changes come after discussions with civil rights groups, signaling an intention to rebuild trust and take "swift action."
Legal action has been the catalyst for this series of events, with a lawsuit stemming from three of the affected men claiming racial discrimination. The lawsuit highlights that the black gentlemen were the only Black people on the flight, and no mention of an offensive odor was made during their earlier leg from Los Angeles to Phoenix. American offered to rebook them, no other flights were available; thus, they were allowed to reboard, as detailed in their complaint. Following internal and external uproar, the airline has committed to accountability and changes, including the removal from service of team members involved in the incident, as briefed by an American Airlines spokesperson to 12 News.
This is not the first time American Airlines has faced charges of discrimination. In 2017, the NAACP issued an advisory to Black travelers about flying with the airline due to multiple instances of alleged discrimination. American Airlines responded by promising to make changes, which resulted in the NAACP lifting the advisory nine months later.
_-_Quintin_Soloviev.jpg){kind=link}