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American Airlines Sued for Alleged Race Discrimination in Jan. 5 Flight Incident

May 29, 2024, 04:40 PM

Three Black men have filed a federal lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging they were victims of 'blatant and egregious race discrimination' after being temporarily removed from a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to New York City on Jan. 5. The lawsuit claims that the men, along with five other Black male passengers, were asked to deboard following a complaint from a white flight attendant about a passenger with body odor. The plaintiffs argue that the complaint was false and that their removal was discriminatory. Initially, the men were annoyed and frustrated by the delay, but later realized the discriminatory nature of the incident. The lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn, accuses American Airlines of violating a Civil War-era law banning race discrimination in contracts.