American Airlines to work with NAACP

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker voiced disappointment that the NAACP criticized the carrier, but he said the airline built on connecting people is excited about the opportunity to improve its inclusiveness and diversity.

“Discrimination and exclusion and unconscious biases are enormous problems that no one has mastered,” Parker volunteered at the start of a third-quarter earnings call. “We would never suggest that we have it all figured out. What we know is we want to keep learning and we want to get better.”

Investors didn’t ask about the NAACP travel warning issued Tuesday for American passengers because of recent issues of alleged discrimination, but reporters did.

Parker said the airline hadn’t seen any reduction in bookings, but he said that wasn't the point. American will work with the NAACP as a leadership opportunity rather than because of concerns about ticket sales, Parker said.

“We’re going to do it because it’s the right thing to do. It’s going to make the company better,” Parker said. “It’s about being a stronger company and providing leadership.”

The NAACP, which says it is not calling for a boycott, issued a warning to African Americans flying on American after “monitoring a pattern of disturbing incidents.” 

The incidents included a man removed from a flight after a dispute with other passengers, a change in seat assignment that moved a woman from first class to coach and the removal of a woman who complained about her seat assignment being changed.

Parker said American officials have reached out to the NAACP, and look forward to meeting and hearing their concerns.

American flies about 500,000 people each day, and prides itself on inclusiveness and diversity, Parker said.

“We like to say we fly over borders and walls, stereotypes and divisiveness, to bring people together,” Parker said.

“Divisiveness seems to be getting worse not better,” he added, of U.S. society generally. “We can also be leaders in making it better.”

source: AFP