American Airlines Settles Discrimination Lawsuit

By Daniel Wiessner

(Reuters) – American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) has agreed to settle a race discrimination lawsuit involving three Black men who were temporarily removed from a flight due to complaints from white flight attendants.

Settlement Agreement

The terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, but the plaintiffs' lawyers stated it involves a commitment from American Airlines to take measures to prevent discrimination in the future.

Background of the Case

The incident occurred in January, when the men were removed from a New York-bound flight out of Phoenix, Arizona, for about an hour. This was ordered after white flight attendants complained about a passenger's offensive body odor. The men, who filed the lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court in May, claimed they did not have any odor. They described the experience as "traumatic, upsetting, scary, humiliating, and degrading."

Legal Claims

The plaintiffs argued that the airline violated a Civil War-era law prohibiting race discrimination in contracts. American Airlines did not immediately comment on the lawsuit but stated that it takes discrimination claims seriously and was looking into the matter at that time.

Outcome and Commitment

Lawyers for the plaintiffs noted that the flight attendants involved in the incident were fired. American Airlines expressed its commitment to providing a positive flying experience for all customers.

Previous Incidents

In 2017, the NAACP advised Black travelers against flying with American Airlines due to multiple racially-based incidents. However, the advisory was lifted the following year after the airline promised to update its policies and conduct training on implicit bias for its staff.