3 black men sue American Airlines for alleged racial discrimination

Three Black men filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against American Airlines, claiming that they were racially discriminated against when they were allegedly pulled off a plane over a body odor complaint.

In an interview Wednesday with NBC News, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph and Xavier Veal said they did not know each other and were not seated together, according to the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, eight Black men were asked on Jan. 5 to leave a New York City-bound flight in Phoenix by American Airlines staff. Three of the men are now suing the carrier for racial discrimination.

“Being grouped and removed hits all these trigger points of things that I don't think should happen to Black people anymore,” Jackson said.

Jean-Joseph said the men were made to look like criminals as they walked down the aisle of the plane. He said he had not flown since the incident and that he broke down as he relived it Wednesday as the lawsuit was filed.

“It still affects me,” he said. “When I do get on a plane again, it's going to be something that haunts me.”

In a statement, American Airlines said it was investigating the incident and that the “claims do not reflect our core values or our purpose of caring for people.”

“We take all claims of discrimination very seriously and want our customers to have a positive experience when they choose to fly with us,” the statement added.

According to the lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York, all eight men reboarded the flight about an hour later after expressing concerns about discrimination and the airline's inability to book them on a later flight.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, the amount of which will be determined by a jury trial.