“Corporations have a pressing responsibility to ensure that customers are not mistreated on account of race. We appreciate that American Airlines treated this incident with the seriousness it deserves and agreed to correct course.” Public Citizen Litigation Group attorney Michael Kirkpatrick

Public Citizen Litigation Group, co-counseling with the firm Outten & Golden LLP, filed a race discrimination lawsuit on behalf of three of the men in the federal court in the Eastern District of New York. 

In January 2024, American Airlines ordered eight Black men to deboard Flight 832 from Phoenix (PHX) to New York (JFK), following a flight attendant’s complaint about an unidentified passenger’s body odor. The men were later allowed to reboard. The incident mirrored past allegations of racial bias by the airline. 

Public Citizen’s clients, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, and the five other Black men removed from the flight were not seated together and had never spoken to each other before the flight. Before takeoff, an American Airlines representative approached our clients one by one, skipping over rows of other passengers, and ordered them off the plane without explanation.

When our clients demanded an explanation, an American Airlines representative told them that they were removed from the flight because a white male flight attendant had complained about an unidentified passenger’s body odor. None of our clients had an issue with body odor. And when our clients pointed out that it looked like they were being targeted because of their race, an American Airlines representative responded, “I agree.” Eventually, the airline permitted all eight men to re-board the plane.

Three of the men who were removed from the flight took legal action. Public Citizen represented the three plaintiffs, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal in filing Jackson v. American Airlines to challenge the discrimination. The lawsuit emphasized that the airline’s actions were a clear violation of federal law, which prohibits racial discrimination against ticketed passengers. The case sought damages for the plaintiffs and aimed to hold American Airlines accountable for its conduct, with the plaintiffs saying “Our goal in speaking out has always been to create change.  We are proud that we used our voices to make a difference in the lives of Black Americans.”

Shortly after we filed suit, the parties agreed to engage in settlement discussions and reached an agreement to resolve the lawsuit. American Airlines agreed to a confidential settlement with the three men and on December 19, 2024, the parties filed a stipulation dismissing the case. While the terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, the resolution of the case highlights the importance of challenging racial discrimination in corporate policies and practices. Public Citizen continues to advocate for stronger protections against racial bias in the airline industry and beyond.