American Airlines settles with Black men kicked off flight for “body odor”

DALLAS – The Dallas Mornings News reports that American Airlines has settled the lawsuit filed by three Black men who were kicked off a flight in January over a “body odor” allegation, according to the law firms representing the men. Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph and Xavier Veal, all from New York, and five other Black men had boarded a flight from Phoenix to New York City in January, when a white flight attendant complained of someone’s odor, according to the suit. All eight men were then forced to deplane with no reason given. None of the men had known each prior to the incident, nor were they seated together. It was later that they learned of the body odor complaint, which they say they weren’t responsible for.

The plaintiffs alleged racial discrimination in their lawsuit, which was filed in May, and American has since “terminated the employment” of the flight attendants responsible, according to men’s law firms, Outen & Golden LLP and Public Citizen Litigation Group. “We are very pleased that American Airlines took our complaint seriously, and we hope that this never happens to Black passengers or any other people of color again,” the three plaintiffs said in the release Terms of the settlement are confidential. After the incident, American committed to conducting bias and discrimination training for employees and creating an advisory group focused on Black customers in order to prevent future discrimination. A statement from American emphasized its resolve to providing a “welcoming and inclusive” environment for fliers, and described the settlement as “amicable.”