A Black man and his white wife are suing American Airlines, alleging discrimination after they say the airline accused the man of trafficking his wife.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A couple is suing Fort Worth-based American Airlines, alleging race discrimination after they say the airline accused a Black man of trafficking his white, Russian-national wife, according to court documents.
According to the lawsuit, filed in the southern district of Florida, the plaintiffs were traveling Sept. 13, 2022, from Phoenix to Miami to go on their honeymoon when the alleged racist incident occurred. The lawsuit alleges that Anthony Williams, a Black retired police officer, was falsely accused by a fellow passenger of trafficking his white wife, Katsiaryna Shasholka.
The lawsuit alleges that American Airlines employees did not question the couple or before reporting the trafficking allegations to law enforcement. After landing, the couple was “falsely imprisoned by American Airlines employees whom escorted them off of the plane,” and questioned by the Miami-Dade Police Department, the lawsuit reads.
American Airlines responded to the lawsuit in a statement to WFAA.
“American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us. We are reviewing the allegations of the complaint,” the airline said.
The lawsuit points to several other lawsuits brought against American Airlines alleging race discrimination. The airlines settled a race discrimination lawsuit brought by three Black men in December, WFAA previously reported. After that lawsuit was filed, the NAACP called reports of discrimination on American Airlines flights “a troubling pattern,” WFAA previously reported.
The couple alleging discrimination are seeking $75,000 and attorney’s fees for false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, general negligence and negligent hiring, according to the lawsuit. American Airlines and several American Airlines employees were named defendants in the lawsuit.