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A honeymooning couple has filed a federal lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging they were falsely accused of human trafficking based on racial bias. Anthony Williams, a Black man, and his wife, Katiaryna Shasholka, a white woman, claim they were "detained, falsely imprisoned, questioned, and humiliated" after an incident during their flight from Phoenix to Miami on September 13, 2022.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Jasmine Olivia Mae Rand, states that another passenger on the flight reported Williams as a potential trafficker to two flight attendants, who allegedly acted on the accusation without conducting any investigation. According to the couple, they were escorted off the plane upon landing and detained while other passengers walked by, leaving them confused and embarrassed. Miami-Dade police officers eventually questioned the pair, and the incident was reportedly captured on video.
American Airlines has responded to the lawsuit, saying in a statement to the Miami Herald, “American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us. We are reviewing the allegations of the complaint.”
The lawsuit also highlights other instances of alleged racial bias against Black passengers on American Airlines flights, suggesting a pattern of problematic behavior that the company has failed to address.
One such incident involved musician David Ryan Harris, who was traveling from Atlanta to Los Angeles in September 2023 with his two biracial children, aged 12 and 7. A flight attendant suspected Harris of kidnapping his own children because she felt they were not responsive enough to her interactions. Although the airline later apologized, admitting their policies on suspected human trafficking were not followed, Harris expressed his frustration on Instagram, stating that a hesitant response from a child should not have been enough to warrant involving authorities.
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