Three Black men are suing American Airlines, alleging racial profiling after they were briefly removed from a flight based on a complaint about body odor.
The incident occurred on a Phoenix to New York flight on January 5th. The lawsuit, filed by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, claims all Black men on the plane were asked to leave by a flight attendant.
The men, identified as Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, had already boarded and were preparing for takeoff when they were individually approached and told to exit.
They realized upon disembarking that every Black male passenger was being removed.
According to the lawsuit, the men were told at the gate by an airline agent that a white male flight attendant complained about body odor from an unidentified passenger.
The men vehemently deny any issue with body odor and believe they were singled out solely based on race.
American Airlines rebooked the men on later flights after no immediate service to New York was available. However, the lawsuit emphasizes the humiliation and emotional distress caused by the ordeal.
The men witnessed the pilot announce a body odor issue as the reason for the delay, which they claim was fabricated.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the “trauma” endured. One of the plaintiffs, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, compared the experience to the discriminatory treatment faced by Rosa Parks in the 1950s. He emphasizes the lawsuit’s importance in preventing American Airlines from receiving a lenient response.
American Airlines, in their statement, denies the allegations and claims they contradict the company’s core values.
They are currently investigating the incident. This lawsuit comes after a 2017 travel advisory issued by the NAACP against American Airlines due to concerns about racial discrimination. The advisory was lifted in 2018 after the airline implemented changes to its operations.
