Passenger accused of trafficking his wife sues American Airlines for racial discrimination
An interracial couple traveling for their honeymoon are suing Fort Worth-based American Airlines after the husband said he was accused of trafficking his wife by airline employees and a passenger on their flight.
Anthony Williams and Katsiaryna Shasholka were traveling from Phoenix to Miami on Sept. 13, 2022. The couple alleges that they were racially profiled by employees of the airline after Williams, a Black man, was accused of trafficking his own wife, Shasholka, a Russian national.
A passenger on the flight falsely accused Williams of human trafficking and reported it to the airline’s employees, the lawsuit states.
Two employees did not question the couple or conduct any kind of investigation but instead “falsely reported” them to law enforcement, the lawsuit states.
After landing, Williams and Shasholka were “imprisoned” by American Airlines employees who escorted them off of the plane, and “they were made to wait confused and embarrassed as the other passengers deplaned and walked by them,” according to the lawsuit.
They were then questioned and detained by Miami-Dade police officers. The incident was captured on camera, the lawsuit states.
“American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us. We are reviewing the allegations of the complaint,” the airline said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The couple from Arizona are seeking damages over $75,000 from American Airlines for false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent hiring, according to the suit.
This is not the first time American Airlines has faced allegations of racial discrimination. In December, the airline settled a federal race discrimination lawsuit involving three Black men who were required to deboard a plane after a flight attendant complained about an unidentified passenger’s body odor.