On June 30, Dr. Tisha Rowe boarded a plane to Miami following a holiday she had spent in Jamaica with her eight year old son. She was wearing a multicoloured, strapless playsuit and was reportedly asked by American Airlines staff to leave the plane. Dr. Rowe says she was then made to cover herself with a blanket before being allowed back onto the flight.
Tweeting about her experience, Dr. Rowe said: "We are policed for being black. Our bodies are over sexualized as women and we must ADJUST to make everyone around us comfortable. I’ve seen white women with much shorter shorts board a plane without a blink of an eye. I guess if it’s a “nice ass” vs a @Serena Booty it’s okay..."
Many news outlets reported on the story, leading to an apology from American Airlines. In a statement, they said: “We apologize to Dr. Rowe and her son for their experience, and have fully refunded their travel. We are proud to serve customers of all backgrounds and are committed to providing a positive, safe travel experience for everyone who flies with us.”
This is not the first time American Airlines has been accused of discrimination. There have, in fact, been a number of incidents over the past few years, including the case of Dr. David Dao, who was forcibly removed from his flight that had been overbooked, resulting in him suffering with concussion, a broken nose and two lost teeth.
In 2017, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a "national travel advisory", warning people that American Airlines "could subject [travellers to] disrespectful, discriminatory or unsafe conditions".
According to The Cut, a spokesperson for American Airlines told CNN that the airline plans to hire a chief inclusion and diversity officer.