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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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American Airlines settles lawsuit filed by 3 Black men who were ordered off a flight

FILE - A woman waits for her flight as an American Airlines jet passes by at Sky Harbor airport on March 4, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
FILE - A woman waits for her flight as an American Airlines jet passes by at Sky Harbor airport on March 4, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) FILE - A woman waits for her flight as an American Airlines jet passes by at Sky Harbor airport on March 4, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)


American Airlines said Thursday it has settled a federal race discrimination lawsuit filed by three Black men who were ordered to deboard a flight last January.

Financial details of the settlement weren’t released. American called it an “amicable resolution” to the lawsuit, which was filed in May in federal court in New York.

“The agreement allows all parties to move forward and focus on what matters most – ensuring a safe and inclusive travel experience for every customer,” the company said in a statement.

The plaintiffs – Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph and Xavier Veal – said they and five other Black men were ordered to deboard an American flight from Phoenix to New York on Jan. 5, 2024, after a flight attendant complained about an unidentified passenger’s body odor.