Press Release

NAACP Issues National Travel Advisory for American Airlines

October 24, 2017

Calls for Meeting with Airlines to Discuss Troublesome Issues

The NAACP, the nation’s original and largest social justice advocacy organization, has released the following statement today announcing a travel advisory warning African Americans about their safety and well being when patronizing American Airlines or traveling on American Airlines flights:

[OCS: With the number of cellphone recording devices in existence, one might believe that cases of true discrimination might be captured and display for all to witness. In fact, when some of these recordings surface, it is often the passenger berating or provoking airline staff.]

“The NAACP for several months now has been monitoring a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines. In light of these confrontations, we have today taken the action of issuing national advisory alerting travelers—especially African Americans—to exercise caution, in that booking and boarding flights on American Airlines could subject them disrespectful, discriminatory or unsafe conditions. This travel advisory is in effect beginning today, October 24, 2017, until further notice.

[OCS: First, it should be noticed that minorities are always among the first to play the race card whenever something does not go their way. Claiming it must be discrimination because it certainly couldn’t have been their behavior.]

The series of recent incidents involve troublesome conduct by American Airlines and they suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias on the part of American Airlines.  Among these incidents:

1. An African-American man was required to relinquish his purchased seats aboard a flight from Washington, D.C. to Raleigh-Durham, merely because he responded to disrespectful and discriminatory comments directed toward him by two unruly white passengers;
2. Despite having previously booked first-class tickets for herself and a traveling companion, an African-American woman’s seating assignment was switched to the coach section at the ticket counter, while her white companion remained assigned to a first-class seat;
3. On a flight bound for New York from Miami, the pilot directed that an African-American woman be removed from the flight when she complained to the gate agent about having her seating assignment changed without her consent; and
4. An African-American woman and her infant child were removed from a flight from Atlanta to New York City when the woman (incidentally a Harvard Law School student) asked that her stroller be retrieved from checked baggage before she would disembark.

The NAACP deplores such alarming behavior on the part of airline personnel, and we are aware of these incidents only because the passengers involved knew their rights, knew to speak up and exercised the courage to do so promptly. Historically, the NAACP has issued travel advisories when conditions on the ground pose a substantial risk of harm to black Americans, and we are concerned today that the examples cited herein may represent only the ‘tip of the iceberg’ when it comes to American Airlines’ documented mistreatment of African-American customers.”

[OCS: Deploring? Or were there reasons credible reasons for the airlines actions – like removing all unruly parties without airline personnel judging guilt or innocence. Pilots do not ordinarily concern themselves with the removal of passengers unless they pose a potential threat to the security, safety, and pleasant environmental conditions aboard an aircraft.

Documented? It is hardly documentation when only one side of the story is being told. See what was originally reported: http://abc7news.com/news/lawyer-hired-in-american-airlines-stroller-scuffle-case/1915724/ and how the airlines bent over backwards to resolve the issue.]

“All travelers must be guaranteed the right to travel without fear of threat, violence or harm,” stated Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “The growing list of incidents suggesting racial bias reflects an unacceptable corporate culture and involves behavior that cannot be dismissed as normal or random.  

We expect an audience with the leadership of American Airlines to air these grievances and to spur corrective action.  Until these and other concerns are addressed, this national travel advisory will stand,”

If you have recently experienced a concerning travel irregularity on American Airlines on another provider and would like to report it, please do so here.

ABOUT THE NAACP

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work, and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.

NAACP | NAACP Issues National Travel Advisory for American Airlines