Three Black men have filed a federal lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that they were removed from a flight due to a body odor complaint, which they claim was racially motivated.
The plaintiffs, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, were traveling from Phoenix to New York’s JFK International Airport on January 5, 2024, when they were allegedly ordered off Flight 832 “without any valid reason, based solely on their race.”
The lawsuit, filed on May 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, asserts that American Airlines engaged in “blatant and egregious race discrimination.” According to the complaint, the plaintiffs, who did not know each other and were not traveling together, were approached individually and ordered off the plane without explanation. Once they reached the jet bridge, they noticed several other Black men had also been removed from the flight.
The plaintiffs allege that they were told they were removed due to a complaint about body odor, although none of them were personally accused of having offensive body odor. When they suggested that they were being singled out because they were Black, an airline representative reportedly agreed. This exchange was captured on video.
American Airlines responded to the allegations with a statement, saying, “We take all claims of discrimination very seriously and want our customers to have a positive experience when they choose to fly with us. Our teams are currently investigating the matter, as the claims do not reflect our core values or our purpose of caring for people.”
After being removed, the men were told they would be rebooked on a different flight. However, after an hour, they were informed that there were no other available flights that evening and were allowed to reboard their original flight. The lawsuit claims the plaintiffs had to endure the stares of other passengers, which caused them trauma, humiliation, and degradation.
The lawsuit also cites a 2017 NAACP travel advisory against American Airlines, which was lifted the following year, alleging a history of differential treatment and bigotry towards Black passengers.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, with the amount to be determined at a jury trial. Their attorney, Sue Huhta, stated that race appeared to be a significant factor in the incident, especially since the plaintiffs did not know each other and were not seated near each other.
Alvin Jackson and Emmanuel Jean Joseph have publicly shared the emotional impact of the experience. Jackson noted that the incident triggered historical racial trauma, while Joseph stated that he has not flown since the incident and fears it will haunt him when he does.
