American Airlines accused of racism for sending black woman with first class ticket to back of plane

[Dave-W]

Two women travelling on an American Airlines flight have claimed members of staff were “racist” towards one of them.

Rane Baldwin, who is African American, was flying with friend Janet Novack, who is white, from Kentucky to Charlotte when the incident occurred on 2 May.

first class. However, when they were issued their boarding passes, she was instructed to go to the back of the plane despite her frequent flyer status, while Novack, who holds no status with the airline, was directed to first class. Baldwin was told her seat had been reassigned because there weren’t enough first class seats available." data-reactid="18">Baldwin - an AAdvantage Platinum Select/World Elite cardholder - had purchased the two tickets and decided to upgrade them both to first class. However, when they were issued their boarding passes, she was instructed to go to the back of the plane despite her frequent flyer status, while Novack, who holds no status with the airline, was directed to first class. Baldwin was told her seat had been reassigned because there weren’t enough first class seats available.

told The Root." data-reactid="19">The behaviour of American Airlines flight attendants from there added up to “the most blatantly racist thing that’s ever happened to me,” according to Baldwin. “I’ve never felt so unimportant in my entire life,” she told The Root.

Baldwin said she tried to complain to a member of cabin crew about her seat reassignment but was completely ignored. Meanwhile, Novack was asking the same questions and raising the same concerns, but receiving a completely different response.


American Airlines accused of racism for sending black woman with first class ticket to back of plane

 

[Dave-W]

Why do we seem to be re-living the worst of the 20th century?

 

[MoonlessNight]

I read the story and saw absolutely no indication that Baldwin was treated the way that she was because of her race.

What seems to have happened is that they didn't actually process the first class upgrade, and so essentially overbooked first class. When they discovered this they only had one seat left out of the two they promised, so they offered it to the one whose ticket was processed first, who was Miss Novack. Thus Miss Baldwin couldn't be in first class, as there was no room.

If you weren't told the race of either of the passengers this would just be another case of an airline being incompetent with ticketing, and airplane staff being rude and unhelpful generally. We are all familiar with such experiences, I don't think that anyone thinks that airlines are generally that great of companies.

To call this racism though reads far more into the situation than any evidence calls for.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I read the story and saw absolutely no indication that Baldwin was treated the way that she was because of her race.

What seems to have happened is that they didn't actually process the first class upgrade, and so essentially overbooked first class. When they discovered this they only had one seat left out of the two they promised, so they offered it to the one whose ticket was processed first, who was Miss Novack. Thus Miss Baldwin couldn't be in first class, as there was no room.

If you weren't told the race of either of the passengers this would just be another case of an airline being incompetent with ticketing, and airplane staff being rude and unhelpful generally. We are all familiar with such experiences, I don't think that anyone thinks that airlines are generally that great of companies.

To call this racism though reads far more into the situation than any evidence calls for.

Such is the case with many accusations of racism.

 

[MoonlessNight]

This ALONE on most airlines, would be enough to keep that client in first class and downgrade her friend. Her white friend was permitted to stay but the only reason her white friend was permitted to stay in first class was because the black lady had high status with the airline.

How this can be viewed as anything but terribly prejudicial treatment against blacks is utterly beyond me. Based on this report anyways.

If you read the article the airline says that the reason that Novack kept her ticket while Baldwin did not is that they processed the tickets on a first come, first served basis:

"We have reviewed the allegations, and no discrimination occurred. After a flight was cancelled, an agent inadvertently provided two first class seats to Ms Baldwin and Ms Novack. The passengers were not ticketed for the first class cabin, and a formal upgrade was not processed. (i.e. they were never charged/miles were not deducted.)

"The next day, the agent working the flight realized the error, since we were short one seat in the first class cabin. Instead of removing both passengers from first class, we permitted the passenger who was 'upgraded' in error first, to remain in the first class cabin as a gesture of goodwill. Ms. Novack was the passenger who was upgraded in error first.

You might have read the actual article before spending 11 lines calling me a liar.

 

[rambot]

If you read the article the airline says that the reason that Novack kept her ticket while Baldwin did not is that they processed the tickets on a first come, first served basis

Strange that the point getting, loyalty programming-belonging-to, purchaser of the tickets, was NOT given the first class while her friend (who did not have ANY of those things going for her) was permitted to stay there.
In fact, I'm not sure if this would be considered an "Oversell", but I want to share this:

If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of American. In such events, American will usually deny boarding based upon check-in time, but we may also consider factors such as severe hardships, fare paid, and status within the AAdvantage® program. American will not involuntarily remove a revenue passenger who has already boarded in order

Conditions of Carriage − Support − American Airlines

And lastly "as a gesture of good will" you let one of them keep their ticket. Well, I would love to believe that would be the case. But I simply CANNOT fathom why they would give a "gesture of good will" to the travelling COMPANION of someone in your ELITE level flying club in lieu of the traveller herself.

You might have read the actual article before spending 11 lines calling me a liar.

I apologize for this. I was overly attacking. Usually, if this happens, I prefer to keep it up so people can see me being a jerk, being called on it, and my response. But if you prefer, I will happily remove it.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Strange that the point getting, loyalty programming-belonging-to, purchaser of the tickets, was NOT given the first class while her friend (who did not have ANY of those things going for her) was permitted to stay there.
In fact, I'm not sure if this would be considered an "Oversell", but I want to share this:
Conditions of Carriage − Support − American Airlines

And lastly "as a gesture of good will" you let one of them keep their ticket. Well, I would love to believe that would be the case. But I simply CANNOT fathom why they would give a "gesture of good will" to the travelling COMPANION of someone in your ELITE level flying club in lieu of the traveller herself.


I apologize for this. I was overly attacking. Usually, if this happens, I prefer to keep it up so people can see me being a jerk, being called on it, and my response. But if you prefer, I will happily remove it.

The policy you quoted simply says that they can give priority to people in the advantage program, among other things, but does not give an exact process that they are required to follow. In any case, this isn't an oversell really, since what seems to have happened was that an agent promised first class tickets to the two, but didn't actually process it, so no sale or upgrade actually happened. Being an unusual situation, the airline decided to process the tickets on a first come first served basis.

The airline definitely messed up (in particular they should have actually processed the tickets to begin with, and they should have had a more definite plan for this sort of thing), but there isn't really anything there to suggest that their decisions were based on race.

 

[Hank77]

The airline definitely messed up (in particular they should have actually processed the tickets to begin with, and they should have had a more definite plan for this sort of thing), but there isn't really anything there to suggest that their decisions were based on race.

I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has happened, they should have had a better plan.
In this particular situation they could have avoided the problem by telling both women, right at the start, that once they were on the plane the women could decide between themselves who would sit where. That is what they did on their own anyway.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Come on guy. You're better than this. I have had enough reasonable conversations with you to hope that you would read the news report before supporting a fiction so quick.

I'm sorry, what is it that makes you think they wouldn't have simply chosen her according to the order in which the tickets were purchased?

It is because you think that they not only look at the tickets...but they also for some reason go through who purchased them and add that into their evaluation of who gets bumped from first class?

I'm just wondering how you think it works...

 

[Ana the Ist]

Strange that the point getting, loyalty programming-belonging-to, purchaser of the tickets, was NOT given the first class while her friend (who did not have ANY of those things going for her) was permitted to stay there.
In fact, I'm not sure if this would be considered an "Oversell", but I want to share this:
Conditions of Carriage − Support − American Airlines

And lastly "as a gesture of good will" you let one of them keep their ticket. Well, I would love to believe that would be the case. But I simply CANNOT fathom why they would give a "gesture of good will" to the travelling COMPANION of someone in your ELITE level flying club in lieu of the traveller herself.


I apologize for this. I was overly attacking. Usually, if this happens, I prefer to keep it up so people can see me being a jerk, being called on it, and my response. But if you prefer, I will happily remove it.

This is just my common sense speaking here...because I fully admit I don't know the process airlines use for these things....but...

Since the points/rewards program was used to purchase both of the tickets...wouldn't they both appear to be purchased through the points/rewards program? It's been about a year since I've flown anywhere...but I don't recall the "purchaser of the ticket" being a part of the information on said ticket.

Am I wrong in this? Do they put "the person who bought this ticket" on airline tickets?