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Delta passenger files lawsuit alleging racial discrimination on flight

Delta passenger files lawsuit alleging racial discrimination on flight
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Ed Bastian CEO of Delta Air Lines | Delta Air Lines

A first-class Delta Air Lines passenger has filed a lawsuit, alleging she was removed from a flight due to racial discrimination. Teresa Hudson Jordan, traveling with her daughter, claims she was addressed offensively by a white flight attendant on Delta Flight 5792. Jordan alleges she was removed for looking at the attendant, who reportedly chastised her, stating it was an act laced with racial hostility.

The incident reportedly took place on a scheduled flight from Greensboro Airport to New York LaGuardia Airport on March 27, 2025. Witnesses on the flight reportedly supported Jordan, condemning the actions of the flight attendant, while stating that Jordan and her daughter did nothing wrong. The lawsuit further notes passengers observed the flight attendant laughing with a coworker post-removal.

Delta Air Lines responded to the pending litigation, with a spokesperson noting the airline's "zero tolerance for discrimination of any form."

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This case comes amid rising discrimination-related incidents in air travel. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation showed a 26% increase in such complaints in 2023, with 223 cases compared to 176 in 2022. Factors contributing to this rise include an overall increase in travel-related submissions in 2023 and several high-profile discrimination cases.

Alongside Delta's recent controversy, similar accusations have surfaced against other major airlines, such as American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. In one incident involving American Airlines, eight men were removed from a flight following complaints about their body odor, leading three of them to file a discrimination lawsuit. The NAACP has threatened to revive a travel advisory cautioning Black Americans against flying with American Airlines due to these concerns.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has addressed these issues, calling the removal of passengers for body odor "unacceptable" and promising procedural and cultural changes within the airline.

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