American Airlines Accused of Discrimination by Interracial Couple

An interracial couple from Arizona has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines alleging they were detained by law enforcement after the husband was falsely suspected of trafficking his wife by two airline employees and another passenger on their flight.

The incident took place in September 2022, on an American flight from Phoenix to Miami. Anthony Williams, a Black retired police officer, and his wife, Katsiaryna Shasholka, who is white and a Russian national, were headed to their honeymoon, according to the federal lawsuit filed last week in the Southern District of Florida.

In the lawsuit, the couple alleges that another passenger suspected Mr. Williams of trafficking his wife and alerted airline staff. Employees didn’t question the couple during the flight, but upon landing, the pair were escorted off the plane and detained by the local authorities. In the complaint, they say they were “falsely imprisoned.”

Jasmine Rand, a lawyer representing Mr. Williams and Ms. Shasholka, said in a statement that “American Airlines’ pattern of racial discrimination of its passengers is intolerable,” and that the couple’s experience was another example of racial profiling by the carrier.

In a statement, a spokesman with American said the carrier was reviewing the complaint’s allegations.

“American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us,” the spokesman said.

In 2017, the N.A.A.C.P. issued an advisory to Black travelers about flying American, prompted by four reports of racial discrimination. The advisory, which warned travelers of a “corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias” at American, was lifted about nine months later after the airline committed to forming a group focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The N.A.A.C.P. has a “continuing dialogue with the company on best practices and the need to center equitable travel experiences,” said Alicia Mercedes, a spokeswoman for the group.

In December, American said it settled a lawsuit filed by three Black men who said they’d been wrongly removed from a flight last January because of a complaint about body odor.