In a recent incident that has drawn attention to racial discrimination, American Airlines has placed an undisclosed number of employees on leave. The incident took place in Phoenix, where multiple Black passengers were removed from a flight allegedly due to a complaint about body odor.

American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, expressed his disappointment in a note to the staff, stating that the incident was unacceptable and a failure to uphold the company's values. He acknowledged that the airline fell short of its commitments and apologized to the affected passengers.

Last month, three Black passengers filed a lawsuit against the airline, claiming that they were removed from the January flight as a result of racial discrimination. They alleged that a white male flight attendant had complained about an unidentified passenger's body odor, leading to their removal. The passengers, who were not known to each other and were seated separately in the plane, stated that they were among eight Black men asked to disembark.

The three passengers confronted airline personnel on the jet bridge, demanding an explanation for their removal. One of the men recorded the discussion, capturing an airline employee seemingly acknowledging the discrimination. After a delay of approximately one hour, the men were permitted to reboard the plane.

American Airlines has not disclosed the number or job titles of the employees placed on leave, but a spokesperson for the airline confirmed that those involved would be held accountable. The company stated that it would form an advisory group, focused on enhancing the experience of Black customers, promoting the reporting of discrimination allegations, and improving diversity training to combat bias and discrimination.

Isom revealed that he had spoken with the president of the NAACP regarding the incident. The civil rights group has not yet responded to requests for comment. It is worth noting that American Airlines previously faced discrimination allegations in 2017, leading the NAACP to issue a travel advisory for Black travelers. The airline made commitments to implement changes, resulting in the advisory being lifted nearly nine months later.

American Airlines is now working towards addressing and rectifying the recent incident, while reaffirming its dedication to fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all passengers.