American Airlines described its initial meeting with the NAACP and other civil rights activists as "positive and productive."
The Associated Press reported the airline's chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, met with NAACP President, Derrick Johnson, activist Tamika Mallory and others in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, one week after the NAACP issued a travel advisory warning African-Americans of potential discrimination when flying American.
"We welcomed the opportunity to meet, and had a positive and productive dialogue," American spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together."
"We had a full and frank dialogue, but words are no substitute for action," Johnson said in his own statement following the private meeting. "The NAACP looks forward to continuing its work with American Airlines to ensure that African-American customers are not subjected to racially discriminatory treatment."
Johnson said officials used the introductory session to review the issues brought up in last week's travel advisory, which cited four recent incidents in which the airline allegedly discriminated against African-American travelers.
One of those incidents involved Mallory, who claimed she was wrongfully booted from a flight in Miami last month following a dispute over her seat assignment.
"There is a clear problem at American Airlines as evidenced by the videos and emails sent to me, particularly from women of color, that had been removed from planes and blatantly discriminated against," Mallory said in a statement. "We hope that American Airlines will become a leader in setting industry standards that protect the rights of all people and provide one level of service for all passengers."
In an initial response to last week's advisory, Parker said American was "eager to meet" NAACP officials and "listen to their issues and concerns," calling it a "fantastic opportunity" to improve.
"As we work through this in concert with the NAACP, please keep doing the great and noble work you always do: treat our customers and each other with respect; connect diverse groups of people with each other and allow them to see the world; make the world a smaller and more open place; and do it professionally and safely," Parker wrote in a letter to American employees.
According to the AP, 29 complaints of racial discrimination have been submitted against American since the start of last year, more than any other U.S. airline over that time.
While the NAACP's advisory doesn't specifically encourage African-American travelers to boycott American, it could have a significant impact on the airline's bottom line. After all, this past summer's historic NAACP travel advisory for Missouri has prompted some potential visitors to cancel their trips to the state.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
