MIAMI – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has issued a travel advisory, warning African-American travelers to be careful when flying with American Airlines.
The advisory potentially has major implications for places like Miami International Airport, where American Airlines has a dominant presence because it operates a hub there.
NAACP officials issued the travel advisory against the airline because of what they call "a pattern of disturbing incidents" reported by African-American passengers.
The organization documented at least four confrontations over the past few months that they believe show a culture of racial bias or racial insensitivity.
One of the cases allegedly happened a week and a half ago at MIA and involved a woman named Tamika Mallory, who was in South Florida for a music conference.
Mallory is a national activist who helped to organize the Women's March.
She said she was kicked off a plane over a seat dispute.
According to Mallory, a pilot overheard her frustrations with a gate agent at the end of their conversation and retaliated after she boarded her flight to head back home.
"He said, 'Yeah, you're going to get yourself a one-way ticket off of this plane.' I still didn't say anything. I still did not say anything. I walked away. I went to my seat. I sat down and I was crying. The next thing I know, my name was called twice -- full name, from the loud speaker," Mallory said.
Mallory held a news conference to call out the airline.
"I want to ensure that there are policies instilled in American (Airlines) to ensure that what happened to me does not happen to another person," she said.
The CEO of American Airlines reacted to the news Wednesday, sending a letter to all 120,000 employees of his airline.
It read, in part: "We were disappointed to learn of a travel advisory issued by the NAACP... We do not and will not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We have reached out to the NAACP and are eager to meet with them to listen to their issues and concerns."
American Airlines officials said the company has invited representatives from the organization to have that meeting at its corporate headquarters in Texas.
There's no word yet on if or when that meeting will take place.