Kiowa
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Thread:
https://blavity.com/is-american-air...called-police-on-her-for-flying-fat-and-black
American Airlines is facing a new wave of controversy following reports that a flight attendant called police after a white passenger complained about the black woman sitting next to her.
Co-host of the podcast Black Joy Mixtape Amber Phillips, 28, took to Twitter to document her experience "flying while fat and black.”
During a flight aboard a small plane out of North Carolina heading to Washington D.C., Phillips found herself in a heated argument with a white woman who felt Philips took up too much space, Vice News reports.
Apparently, the white woman sitting next to didn't want her arm touching Phillips'.
“She kept being very aggressive and finally goes, ‘Can you move over?’” Phillips said. Phillips said she did her best, but given the size of the plane, there was no space for her to slide over into. Hoping to end the dispute, Phillips said as soon as the plane took off, she folded her hands in her lap.
When the 45-minute flight ended, Phillips took a photo and video of her seating arrangement to document the incident.
Airports Authority Police spoke to the woman moments prior to speaking with Phillips. She was told police would be investigating this as an assault. According to Vice News, Phillips was never asked for a statement regarding the incident.
Phillips said all of this happened for one reason: “Because of the intersections of my identity, a black woman who takes up space.”
“Upon landing in DCA shortly after 8 p.m. ET, one of the passengers requested to be escorted off the aircraft due to the altercation continuing,” American Airlines said in an emailed statement to Vice. “The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police Department was called to assist and removed both passengers. We take claims of discrimination very seriously and are continuing to investigate the details of this situation. We have reached out directly to the customers for more information.”
Although there were no arrests or no charges were filed, Phillips said she will not being flying with American Airlines any longer.
Following a series of racially charged incidents on American Airlines, the NAACP recommended that black people stop flying with the company late last year. This prompted the company's CEO to acknowledge the airline had a problem, and promise the company would change going forward.
https://blavity.com/is-american-air...called-police-on-her-for-flying-fat-and-black
American Airlines is facing a new wave of controversy following reports that a flight attendant called police after a white passenger complained about the black woman sitting next to her.
Co-host of the podcast Black Joy Mixtape Amber Phillips, 28, took to Twitter to document her experience "flying while fat and black.”
During a flight aboard a small plane out of North Carolina heading to Washington D.C., Phillips found herself in a heated argument with a white woman who felt Philips took up too much space, Vice News reports.
Apparently, the white woman sitting next to didn't want her arm touching Phillips'.
“She kept being very aggressive and finally goes, ‘Can you move over?’” Phillips said. Phillips said she did her best, but given the size of the plane, there was no space for her to slide over into. Hoping to end the dispute, Phillips said as soon as the plane took off, she folded her hands in her lap.
When the 45-minute flight ended, Phillips took a photo and video of her seating arrangement to document the incident.
Airports Authority Police spoke to the woman moments prior to speaking with Phillips. She was told police would be investigating this as an assault. According to Vice News, Phillips was never asked for a statement regarding the incident.
Phillips said all of this happened for one reason: “Because of the intersections of my identity, a black woman who takes up space.”
“Upon landing in DCA shortly after 8 p.m. ET, one of the passengers requested to be escorted off the aircraft due to the altercation continuing,” American Airlines said in an emailed statement to Vice. “The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police Department was called to assist and removed both passengers. We take claims of discrimination very seriously and are continuing to investigate the details of this situation. We have reached out directly to the customers for more information.”
Although there were no arrests or no charges were filed, Phillips said she will not being flying with American Airlines any longer.
Following a series of racially charged incidents on American Airlines, the NAACP recommended that black people stop flying with the company late last year. This prompted the company's CEO to acknowledge the airline had a problem, and promise the company would change going forward.