Flying from Charlotte to Atlanta, Imani Cezanne was asked if she “would be a problem during the flight”
Claims she was kicked off the plane because she was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt
Photo Credit: Daily Mail
A female African American writer and activist was kicked off an American Airlines flight early Friday morning, a removal she claims occurred because of a Black Lives Matter shirt she was wearing at the time.
Imani Cezanne was travelling from Charlotte to Atlanta on Friday when she says she was unexpectedly removed from the flight.
Initially, the confrontation started when the passengers seated next to her in the exit row had to be moved to different seats because they did not speak English and would be unable to communicate proper evacuation instructions in the event of an emergency, as per airline policy.
Cezanne then says she was “interrupted” by a flight attendant who asked her “Are you going to be a problem?”
After this interaction, Cezanne detailed that the flight attendant stormed off and returned with a manager who wanted her to be escorted from the plane. “Nothing about my voice, tone, body language, communicated threatening. Other than, of course, this Black body.”
A spokesman for American Airlines said they were working with Cezanne to resolve the issue. “An unruly passenger was removed from American Eagle Flight 5192, operated by PSA Airlines, from Charlotte to Atlanta due to failure to comply with crew member instructions. The passenger refused to exit the aircraft when asked, so local law enforcement was called. We will work the customer to resolve the issue. American Airlines values diversity and we do not discriminate for any reason.’
In January, American Airlines was sued for $9 million in a different racial discrimination claim alleging that a group of men were kicked off the plane after flight attendants felt “uneasy.”
An abridged transcript of Cezanne’s full accounts has been released below:
Ejected from an aircraft. Considered a threat to safety. For doing nothing more than existing in this Black body. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
After boarding my flight I sit in an exit row. The couple across the aisle from me does not speak English. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
They are removed from their seats because "If you don't speak english you can't sit in an exit row." I ask why. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
Fligh Attendant says that if she is unable to explain procedure, she must seat someone else in the exit row. Understood. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
While speaking with the woman next to me about my concernsI was *interrupted* by FA and asked "Are you going to be a problem?" @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
Why would she ask me that? Is that an appropriate way to speak to a customer who is calmly having a conversation with someone? @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
What about me seemed potentially problematic? I was seated, legs crossed, hands in lap. Using my "inside voice." @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
The manager comes to escort me off of the plane. I ask why. She says "because my flight attendant feels threatened. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
Nothing about my voice, tone, body language etc. communicated "threatening." Other than, of course, this Black body. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
So now I'm stuck in Charlotte. Banned from AA. And no, I do not have $400-$500 to get back home or to my destination today. @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
This is how you can literally be walking away from an officer and be shot dead. Because he "felt threatened." @AmericanAir
— Imani Cezanne (@imanicezanne) March 25, 2016
Pleading corporate mentality instead of racism is interesting. Really shows you who benefits from that mentality.
Okay, there is a really glaring part missing from this story. Why did the attendant say, are you going to be a problem? Was she just calmly sitting there and the attendant stopped what they were doing and looked at her for no reason and say, are you going to be a problem? I think not.
Valid question. We are working on trying to find that information out but, presently, it doesn’t seem like anybody has additional insights on exactly what happened.