Dear American Airlines

I was sitting on the aisle in an emergency exit row not far from the first class partition. Snacks were being served. Two stewardesses were taking orders from the passengers in the seats before me. A woman was waiting in the aisle across from me; she had returned from the mid-cabin rest room and was blocked by the cart. I saw the closer stewardess nod to the woman and hold up her finger. A few minutes later, looking up from my book, I was surprised to discover the woman still waiting, now for close to five minutes. The woman in the aisle seat across from me, shaking her head in disgust, was also watching the scene unfold. I should say here the two stewardesses were white and the waiting passenger was African-American.

At this point, a steward appeared from first class and asked to be let through. This seemed a perfect time for the stewardesses to let the woman return to her seat. However, the stewardesses found a way to block the woman. I watched the woman’s face carefully. She remained outwardly calm but now her arms were crossed at her waist. The woman beside me was shaking her head again as the stewardesses made sure to avert their gaze.

Unable to remain silent, I stood up and approached the woman, touching her lightly on the shoulder. “I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s not fair.” She gave me a brief smile and said softly, “I’m used to it. I’m patient.” Then she turned back to waiting.

Meanwhile, and to my astonishment, the lead stewardess began serving people in the row behind me. The second stewardess avoided our gaze again and took her time serving her row. The woman bristled with barely concealed anger.

I’d had enough. I stood up to confront the stewardesses. But, seeing me stand, the woman stepped up to the back stewardess and asked to be let through. Then she repeated herself. It was at this point that the stewardess moved the cart back and allowed the woman to take her seat. I probably don’t have to say that the stewardess refrained from apologizing and failed to serve the woman her snack or a complimentary beverage.

A few minutes later, the woman across from me spoke up. “Can you believe what just happened?” She and her friends were flying in from Switzerland. “Does this happen a lot her?” I nodded my head slowly. “Sadly, it does.”

What I didn’t say, and write now, is I’d never before witnessed such blatant racism carried out by an airline employee, nor had I seen such a clear vendetta enacted. Surely, it couldn’t be that they were punishing the woman for choosing to leave her seat at an inconvenient time?! No, they felt the need to make this woman feel like a third-class citizen. Why? Because of the color of her skin.

How often have these two stewardesses done this to other passengers of color? How many other stewards and stewardesses act in a similar fashion? How do the men and women of color who work for the airlines feel when they witness such actions? (Or is this behavior only displayed when the crew is all-white?