Black Woman Sues Southwest Airlines for Alleged Racial Discrimination and Removal from Flight

Southwest Airlines is facing a federal lawsuit after a Black woman, Dr. Briana Hicks, accused the airline of “blatant and egregious race discrimination” during a November 2024 flight in which she was allegedly chastised and removed without justification.

Filed in Chicago, the lawsuit alleges that Dr. Hicks was targeted by flight attendants aboard Flight 952 on November 20, 2024. According to court documents, Hicks had taken her seat in the exit row and was complying with safety procedures when the incident unfolded.

She was reportedly placing her phone in airplane mode during the safety briefing when a flight attendant singled her out, despite other passengers in the same row still using their devices.

Hicks, who says she was the only Black passenger seated in the exit row, stated that the treatment she received was “demeaning, belittling, and berating.” The situation escalated when a fellow white passenger reportedly defended her, questioning why she had been singled out.

Nevertheless, the flight attendant allegedly escalated the matter after Hicks reported the incident to another crew member. She was then removed from the plane before takeoff.

The complaint reads: “Dr. Hicks therefore both endured the humiliation and indignity of race discrimination and experienced further discrimination for reporting that discrimination to other Southwest employees.”

After being removed from the flight, Hicks filed a formal complaint with Southwest. The airline responded, accusing her of disturbing “the good order and discipline on the aircraft” and claiming her behavior prompted the aircraft to return to the gate.

Now, Hicks is seeking declaratory relief, compensation for emotional distress, punitive damages, and reimbursement of legal costs. “Being singled out for mistreatment based on my race was painful enough,” she said in a statement shared with The New York Times. “Enduring that discrimination on top of being publicly removed from a flight and having my entire travel schedule derailed was almost unbearable.”

The case raises ongoing concerns about how airline staff respond to complaints involving passengers of color. Southwest Airlines has not issued a formal response regarding the pending lawsuit, though VIBE has reached out for comment.

This incident follows a growing number of reports involving alleged racial profiling or differential treatment by airline personnel across the U.S., prompting calls for better training, accountability, and transparency within the aviation industry.