American Airlines employees to receive anti-racism training

The airline announced on Thursday that from 2018 staff will be required to under go anti-racism training
AP
Alexandra Richards1 December 2017

American Airlines workers are to get anti-racism training after a powerful civil rights organisation called for a boycott of the company.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People issued a Travel Advisory warning African Americans not to fly with the airline after it highlighted our separate incidents where black passengers were forcibly removed from flights or made to give up their seats.

American Airlines met with leading members of the NAACP on Thursday, to discuss staff attitudes towards African American passengers and then announced it would launch the scheme next year.

Everyone in the company will then have annual refresher courses.

In a letter written by American Airlines CEO Doug Parker to his staff after the meeting, he wrote: “We are proud of the diversity and inclusion initiatives already in place at American, but we know we can do even better. So we viewed the feedback as an opportunity."

The new training programme is still in development and according to a company spokeswoman, the specific training has not been finalised yet.

She said that it would be conducted by an outside consultant.

The company said that it will be working closely with the NAACP to finalise those details.

In addition to staff training American Airlines plans to create a new “customer resolution team” that will deal with customer complaints specifically regarding discrimination.

The company also announced that it will be bringing in an independent firm to review its hiring practices.

Mr Parker said: “I am personally grateful for the thoughtful input we have received thus far, especially from Tamika Mallory, Derrick Johnson, American’s internal African American Diversity Network and other American team members who have volunteered to help.

“We will continue to meet as our work progresses.” He continued.

The Standard has reached out to the NAACP for further comment.

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