Alleged racial discrimination: 3 black men sue American airline

The men, who were seated separately and did not know each other, allege that every black man was taken off the January 5th flight from Phoenix to New York.

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Three African American men have initiated legal action against American Airlines, claiming the airline briefly removed them from a flight and accused them of having body odor. 

The men, who were seated separately and did not know each other, allege that every black man was taken off the January 5th flight from Phoenix to New York.

According to a federal lawsuit filed by the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the men had already boarded and taken their seats when a flight attendant approached each of them individually, asking them to exit the aircraft. 

Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal recounted that, as they were leaving, they gradually realized "every black man on the flight was being removed."

Each of the men had flown from Los Angeles earlier that day without incident.

At the gate, an airline agent informed the men and five others that they were removed because a white male flight attendant had complained about an unidentified passenger's body odor.

American Airlines staff attempted to book the men on alternative flights, but there were no flights to New York that night. 

Eventually, the group was allowed to reboard the original flight. 

The lawsuit further states that while the men waited outside the plane, the pilot announced a delay due to an issue with "body odor," which the men assert is a false claim.