April 27th 2024.
Pamela Hill-Veal, a Black woman from Chicago, has recently filed a complaint against American Airlines, accusing one of their flight attendants of racial discrimination. She was traveling first-class with her family from Chicago to Phoenix on February 10th, when she experienced harassment from the attendant after using the first-class bathroom.
According to the complaint, which was obtained by NPR, Hill-Veal was stopped by an unnamed flight attendant while returning to her seat from the bathroom. In an interview with NPR, she explained, "The flight attendant stopped me and claimed that I had slammed the door of the restroom, and that I was not allowed to do so because other passengers were sleeping on the plane." However, Hill-Veal denied slamming any doors and tried to use the first-class bathroom again, only to be stopped once more by the same flight attendant.
Hill-Veal, a retired circuit court judge from Illinois, revealed that American Airlines has reached out to her to gather more information about the incident. The airline stated, "We strive to provide every passenger with a positive travel experience, and we take all allegations of discrimination very seriously."
Recalling the moment when the flight attendant began reprimanding her, Hill-Veal shared, "He pointed his finger at me and got in my face, saying, 'I told you not to slam the door... now you have to use the bathroom in the back of the plane.'" She believes that the issue was racially motivated, as she witnessed other white passengers using the first-class bathroom without facing any consequences.
As she was leaving the plane, the flight attendant followed her to her seat and attempted to physically remove her. In her complaint, Hill-Veal stated that the attendant threatened to have her arrested because he "didn't like the way [she] talked to him" and accused her of hitting him. "This was a complete lie," she stressed, "I never laid a hand on him."
The incident has left a lasting impact on Hill-Veal, causing her to lose sleep and feel humiliated. She expressed, "I still feel uncomfortable about flying because I never know what they might say I did in an attempt to cover up their own actions during this particular time." This is not the first time American Airlines has faced accusations of discrimination, as a Black couple is also planning to file a lawsuit against the airline for being kicked off a flight with their infant.
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